What you need:
- 150g sultanas
- 100g raisins
- 75g currants
- 50g dried cranberries
- 50g mixed candied peel
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 75ml fresh orange juice
- 1 small apple, peeled and finely grated
- 100g soft dark brown sugar
- 100g Meridian Barley Malt Extract
- 100g vegetable suet
- 75g fresh breadcrumbs
- 50g plain flour
- 50g ground almonds
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- Butter, for greasing
For the sticky orange & barley malt glaze:
- 2 tbsp Meridian Barley Malt Extract
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- Finely grated orange zest, to decorate
Instructions:
- Soak the fruit. Add the sultanas, raisins, currants, cranberries and candied peel to a large bowl. Pour over the orange juice, add the orange zest and stir well. Cover and leave for at least 1–2 hours, or ideally overnight, so the fruit can soak up the citrus flavour.
- Prepare the pudding basin. Lightly grease a 1-litre pudding basin with butter and place a small circle of baking paper in the bottom.
- Make the pudding mixture. Add the grated apple, brown sugar, suet, breadcrumbs, flour and ground almonds to the soaked fruit. Sprinkle in the cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger, nutmeg and salt and mix everything together.
- Make Barley Malt the star. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together with the Meridian Barley Malt Extract until combined. Pour this into the fruit mixture and stir thoroughly until everything is evenly coated and you have a rich, sticky mixture.
- Fill the basin. Spoon the mixture into your prepared pudding basin, pressing it down gently as you go. Smooth the top.
- Cover the basin with a layer of baking paper followed by foil, creating a small pleat across the centre to allow the pudding to expand. Secure firmly around the basin with kitchen string.
- Steam for approximately 4 hours. Place the pudding into a large saucepan with enough gently simmering water to come roughly halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the saucepan and steam, checking occasionally and topping up with boiling water when needed. Don't allow the pan to boil dry.
- Once cooked, carefully remove the pudding from the pan and leave it to rest for around 10 minutes before turning it out onto your serving plate.
- For the finishing glaze, gently warm the Meridian Barley Malt Extract with the orange juice until loosened and glossy. Spoon or brush generously over the warm Christmas pudding.
- Finish with a little fresh orange zest and serve warm with custard, cream or vanilla ice cream.
