Not a good start to December

Today is a day for kicking myself.  I went off to Brigg market and discovered that although I was in Brigg, my purse was in Caistor.  Fortunately I was meeting a friend for coffee so I used a credit card in Tesco then borrowed a little from her to do my market shopping.  She is a very good friend!

I am very ill prepared for Christmas.  I have two parcels almost ready to send to swap partners and I shall try and post those tomorrow.  I've got the fruit ready for Christmas pud but it should be made by  now.  The envelopes for the cards are addressed and the cards made but I need to get busy writing.  You get the picture?  So much is half done, nothing completed.

Anyway, today is a new page on the calendar so I shall make my Very Merry Berry Pudding.  It's not really a Christmas pud as it doesn't contain currants or raisins but I prefer it.  Here's the recipe.

Very Berry Christmas Pudding

100g (3½oz) sultanas

50g (2oz) each dried sour cherries, dried strawberries, dried cranberries and dried blueberries

50g (2oz) each ready-to-eat dried prunes, apricots and figs, roughly chopped

2tbsp fruit liqueur, 

100ml (3½fl oz) ginger wine

Zest and juice of 1 lemon  

Butter for greasing

75g (3oz) shredded suet

50g (2oz) self-raising flour

125g (4oz) fresh breadcrumbs

½tsp each mixed spice and ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch each of salt and freshly 

grated nutmeg

75g (3oz) soft dark brown sugar

2tbsp black treacle

1 Cox's apple, grated

2 medium eggs, beaten

50g (2oz) pecans, chopped (optional)

Method

1 Put the dried fruit, raspberry liqueur, ginger wine, lemon zest and juice into a non-metallic mixing bowl. Cover and leave to soak overnight. Lightly butter a 1 litre (1¾ pint) pudding basin and put in a cool place. Put a 35.5cm (14in) square of foil on top of a square of baking parchment the same size. Fold a 4cm (1½in) pleat across the centre and set aside.

2 The next day, put the soaked fruit into a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix together until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding basin, pushing it down firmly, and level the surface. 

3 Put the pleated foil and parchment square (foil side up) on top and smooth down to cover. Using a long piece of string, tie securely under the lip of the basin, then knot. Bring the excess string over the top of the bowl and knot to the string on the other side to make a handle. 

4 To cook, put the pudding on an upturned heatproof saucer in a deep pan. Pour in enough water to come halfway up the basin, cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4½-5hr, topping up as necessary. Remove pudding from pan and cool. Leaving it covered and in the basin, wrap tightly in clingfilm. Store in a cool, dark place for up to three months.  

To reheat Take off the clingfilm wrapping. Cook for 2hr, following the instructions in step 4, until heated through.