Lighter Christmas pudding

If you want something lighter to finish off your meal, this pud is for you. It’s packed with all the classic fruits and spices, but uses butter instead of suet and steams in half the time of a traditional pudding.

SERVES 10 12 PREP 20 mins plus at least 3 hrs soaking and cooling COOK 2 hrs 30 mins MORE EFFORT

V150g sultanas

50g dried apricots

100g raisins

50g mixed peel

100ml rum

100g unsalted butter, plus extra

for the basin

125g light brown soft sugar

1 lemon, zested

2 large eggs

125g plain lour

50g fresh breadcrumbs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored

and inely chopped

1 Tip the sultanas, apricots, raisins and mixed peel in a bowl, and pour over the rum. Stir, cover and soak for at least 3 hrs or overnight.

2 Butter a 1-litre pudding basin and line the base with a small circle of baking parchment. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl using an electric whisk, until pale and flu y. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the flour, breadcrumbs and spices. Fold in the rehydrated fruits and peel, their soaking liquid and the apple. Spoon into the prepared basin, pressing it down firmly with the back of the spoon. Cover with a sheet of baking parchment, then a sheet of foil, and secure with kitchen string.

3 Put an upturned plate in the base of a large pan and sit the pudding on top, then fill the pan with water until it comes halfway up the side