THREE WEEKS BEFORE (THAT’S NOW!)

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

110g melted butter or shredded suet

110g plain flour, sifted

110g dry mashed potato

1 small carrot, grated

1 small apple, peeled and grated 450g mixed dried fruit

1 tbsp marmalade

110g light brown sugar

1 tbsp golden syrup or black treacle 8 tbsp ale, beer, stout, brandy or whisky

1 tsp each mixed spice, cinnamon, almond essence and lemon essence (or lemon oil)

METHOD

Beat the eggs with the butter or stir in the suet. Stir in the flour until smooth, then the potato. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.

When everything is well integrated, turn into two half-litre, well-buttered pudding basins, or one one-litre basin. (Pop a circle of baking parchment in the base to guarantee an easy turnout.)

Cover with foil, pressing it right over the rim of the bowl, and tie a string firmly under the rim and over the top to make a handle. Steam for six hours, and cool. On Christmas Day, steam for another two hours.

INGREDIENTS

200g rosehips, roughly chopped 1 large Bramley apple, chopped (skin, core and all)

A few extra large hips (optional) Granulated sugar, to measure later

Put the chopped hips in a pan with the apple and 500ml water and bring to the boil. Cook for one to two hours, topping up the water, until the hips are soft.

Wearing gloves, cut the extra hips in quarters. Use a sharp-edged teaspoon (a serrated-edged grapefruit spoon is ideal) to scrape out the seeds and hairs inside and throw them away. In a separate pan of water, boil until soft.

Set a jelly bag or a sieve lined with muslin over a bowl. Tip the pan of chopped hips and apple in and let it drip into the bowl for six hours or overnight.

Measure the liquid in the bowl. For every 200ml liquid, add 150g sugar. Tip into a pan, add the quartered hips if you are using them, and bring to the boil.

Cook until the liquid reaches setting point, and a few drops on a cold saucer forms a skin that wrinkles when pushed.

Allow the mixture to cook for five minutes before pouring into a clean, dry jar. Seal and allow to set for a couple of days before using.