Mum's Christmas pudding

• white breadcrumbs↗450g г
• golden caster sugar↗350g г
• vegetarian suet225g г
• self-raising flour↗100g г
• almonds↗50g г

  roughly chopped

• currants↗225g г
• sultanas↗225g г
• raisins↗225g г
• mixed peel↗175g г
• each mixed spice1 tsp

  ground ginger and grated nutmeg

• bicarbonate of soda↗2 tsp
• eggs↗2
• treacle↗2 tbsp
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• zest and juice 1 orange

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place all the ingredients, except the eggs, treacle and lemon and orange juice, into your largest bowl with 1 tsp salt, then mix. Add the remaining ingredients along with 700ml water, then mix to a consistency that drops off your spoon. Cover and leave in a cool place overnight. The mixture will become firm.

2. 2

   The next day, add enough water to bring the mix back to a dropping consistency, then spoon into greased pudding basins – we used a 2 litre and a 1 litre. Cover with pleated greaseproof paper and foil, and secure with string.

3. 3

   Lower the puddings into a saucepan with upturned saucers or scrunched‑up bits of foil in the bottom (so the puds don’t touch the bottom), then fill with boiling water from the kettle until it comes halfway up the sides of the bowl. Simmer the smaller pudding for 2‑2½ hrs and the larger one for 3‑3½ hrs. Cool, wrap well in foil and chill for up to 3 days.