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Traditional Christmas Pudding

From Delia Smith's Christmas (but also appears in her Complete Illustrated Cookery Course). The pudding should be made about 6 weeks in advance. This recipe makes one large pudding in a 40 ounce basin. If you have any left over, it reheats in foil in the oven, or may be steamed. I tend to make 2 smaller puddings out of this recipe. Serves 8 to 10.

4 ounces shredded suet (I usually cannot get suet, so use butter)
2 ounces self rising flour
4 ounces breadcrumbs
1 leavel teaspoon ground mixed spice (see below for how to make this)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
a "good pinch" ground cinnamon
8 ounces soft dark brown sugar
4 ounces golden raisins
4 ounces raisins
4 ounces currants
1 ounce mixed candied peel, finely chopped (I leave the candied peel out, I may substitute glace cherries if I can stop myself eating them all! )
1 ounce almonds, skinned and chopped
1 small cooking apple (I use Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and choppped
grated zest of 1/2 large orange
grated zest of 1/2 large lemon
2 large eggs
2.5 ounces barley wine
2.5 ounces stout (if you cannot get barley wine, use 5 ounces stout instead)
2 tablespoons rum

Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding. Take a large, roomy mixing bowl and start by putting the suet, sifted flour, breadcrumbs, spices, and sugar in it. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly together, then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, mixed peel, and nuts followed by the apple and grated orange and lemon
zests. Don't forget anything - tick it off on the recipe. Now, in a smaller basin measure out the rum, barley wine, and stout, then add the eggs and beat these thoroughly together. Next pour this over all the other ingredients and begin to mix very thoroughly. It's traditional to gather all the family round, especially the children, and invite everyone to have a really good stir and to make a wish! The mixture should have a fairly sloppy consistency - that is, it should fall instantly from the spoon when this is tapped on the side of the bowl. If you think it needs more liquid, add a spot more stout. Cover the bowl and leave overnight.

Next day pack the mixture into the lightly greased basin, cover it with a double sheet of greaseproof (wax) paper and a sheet of foil, and tie it securely with string. It's also a good idea to tie a piece of string over the top to make a handle. Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding
for 8 hours (yes, that's EIGHT hours). Do make sure you keep a regular eye on the water underneath and top it up with boiling water from the kettle from time to time. When the pudding is steamed, let it get quite cold, then remove the steam papers and foil and replace with fresh ones, again making a string handle for easier monoeuvering.

Store in a cool place away from the light

On Christmas day, steam the pudding again for about 2 hours. Then, take it out of the steamer, remove the wrappers. Slide a knife all around the pudding, then turn it out onto a warmed plate. Place a suitably sized sprig of holly on top. Now take a ladleful of warm brandy (I use apple brandy) and heat it over direct head and when it's hot, ask someone to light it. Place the ladle, now gently flaming, on top of the pudding, but don't pour it over until you reach the table. When you do, turn the lights down and pour it slowly over the pudding, sides and all. It flames beautifully.

You can serve it with rum butter, custard sauce, etc.

Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery recipe for mixed spice:
2 parts nutmeg
2 parts pepper OR allspice (I'd use allspice myself)
1 part cinnamon
1 part cloves
1 part dried ginger
I optionally add Coriander & Caraway