Preparation Notes: plus 1hr macerating
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Total Time:
4 hrs 30 mins
- 150 g (5oz) each currants, raisins and sultanas
- 150 g (5oz) each dates and prunes
- 1 carrot - around 75g (3oz)
- 100 ml (31⁄2fl oz) each Grand Marnier and Guinness
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 175 g (6oz) butter, plus extra to grease
- 175 g (6oz) molasses sugar
- 3 medium eggs, beaten
- 75 g (3oz) self-raising flour, sifted
- 1 level tbsp ground mixed spice
- 150 g (5oz) fresh white bread
- 75 g (3oz) blanched almonds, toasted
- 50 g (2oz) pecans, toasted
- Step 1
Weigh out the currants, raisins and sultanas. Weigh and roughly chop dates and prunes; grate the carrot. Put all these ingredients in a bowl with the alcohol and orange juice and leave to macerate for 1hr.
- Step 2
Put butter, sugar and orange zest into a bowl and, using a wooden spoon or an electric handheld mixer, cream for 5min until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, adding a little flour if they start to curdle.
- Step 3
Sift together flour and mixed spice. Pulse bread in a processor to make crumbs, then pulse nuts in a processor to chop roughly. Use a large metal spoon to fold flour, spice and nuts into the creamed mixture.
- Step 4
Add the macerated fruit and alcohol to the mixture and stir to combine…. Remember to make a wish! Grease two 1 litre (13⁄4 pint) pudding basins and line each with a 40.5cm (16in) square piece of muslin.
- Step 5
Divide the mixture in half and spoon into the lined basins. Flatten the surface of each pudding, gather the muslin up and over the top, then twist and secure with string. (The puddings can sit overnight in a cool place before being cooked.)
- Step 6
To steam: Put pudding in the top of a steamer filled with simmering water and cook for 8hr, topping up water as necessary.
To boil: Put pudding on a trivet in a large pan, add boiling water, cover and simmer for 6hr, topping up water as necessary.
To pressure cook: Check your instruction booklet or put the pudding in a 6 litre (101⁄2 pint) pressure cooker. Fill with 2 litres (31⁄2 pints) of water, heat until the valve pops up, then reduce the heat slightly and cook for 4hr. Cool the pressure cooker under cold running water before opening the lid. Cool the puddings, then wrap tightly in foil and store in a cool, dark, dry place.
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Cooking time
If steaming cook pudding for 8hrs. If boiling cook for 6hrs and if using a pressure cooker cook for 4hrs.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 470
- Total carbs: 65 g
- Sugars: 16 g
- Total fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
