• Take a large mixing bowl, put the sugar, suet, breadcrumbs and spices in and mix well.
  200 g soft brown dark sugar, 100 g breadcrumbs, 100 g shredded vegetable suet/fat, 1 tsp ground mixed spice, pinch ground cinnamon, pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  
• Add the dried fruit, peel, almonds, apple and lemon zest. Again, mix thoroughly.
  200 g sultanas, 200 g raisins, 60 g chopped candied mixed peel, 60 g toasted almonds, coarsely chopped, 1 medium cooking apple, grated zest of 2 lemons
  
• Add the alcohol to the beaten egg and mix thoroughly and add this to the above.
  120 ml sweet sherry, like Harvey's Bristol Cream, 4 Tbsp brandy, 2 eggs
• Give it a good mix. Get the kids to give it a stir and make a wish (silently!). It should be a fairly sloppy mixture. Cover with clingfilm and leave overnight.

NEXT DAY

• Stir in the flour and mix it well.
  50 g self raising flour, sifted (for the next day)
  
• Put the mixture into the greased pudding basin(s), packing it in.
  
• Cover with a layer of baking paper then foil, making a flap on both as in image, for the steam. Tie tightly with a string.
  
• Steam over simmering water for 8 hours for a big pudding, 3 hours for any small ones. Don’t let the water go dry.
• If you don’t have a steamer, use a saucepan with an inverted saucer, place the pudding on the saucer and fill it up with boiling water halfway up the pudding basin. Cover with a lid and let the water simmer away.
  
• When done, let the pudding cool down completely (usually next day) and replace the parchment and foil with fresh.
• Store in a cool, dark place, I put mine in the garage.
• On Christmas day, steam the bigger pudding for 2 hours and the mini ones for 1.

Serve with your favourite sauce - brandy butter, ice cream, fresh cream or my personal favourite, homemade custard!