Add more mouthfuls of delight to a classic Christmas pud with dark chocolate chunks that will melt through the mixture when cooking. Perfect served hot with the Ginger Icecream.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas)
• 1/2 cup chopped juicy prunes
• 1/2 cup whisky
• 3/4 cup molasses or muscovado sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp each mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups stale wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 150 grams toasted slivered almonds or chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 150 grams dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 125 grams chilled butter or suet, grated
• 1 apple, peeled and grated
• 4 eggs
• grated rind and juice of one lemon and one orange

Method

1. Toss the dried fruit with the whisky and place in a bowl and cover. Leave overnight, turning occasionally. In a large bowl sift the sugar, flour, spices and salt. Stir in the breadcrumbs, nuts, chocolate and grated butter or suet.
2. Beat together the grated apple with the eggs and rind and add to the dry ingredients with the fruit and any remaining alcohol. Mix together well.
3. Open out a large oven bag by cutting down the side and base. Grease the inside well with plenty of melted butter and dust liberally with flour. Scald the calico in hot water and ring out. Place the calico over a large wide bowl and place the oven bag floured side uppermost on top. Pile the pudding mixture into the centre and bring together. Tie securely with string. (I tie the oven bag first and then I tie the calico bag up).
4. Have a large saucepan or stock pot of boiling water at boiling point and place an old saucer or bread and butter plate in the bottom. With the water boiling lower the pudding into the stock pot. Cover and simmer gently for eight hours, topping up the water level with boiling water from the kettle as needed to ensure that the pudding is always covered with boiling water.
5. At the end of the cooking time lift the pudding out to hang dry so to achieve the cannon ball shape. When cold, store in the fridge for up to six weeks, before reheating on Christmas Day.

To cook the Christmas Pudding in small bowls

1. Lightly grease the sides of 5 x 1 ½ cup capacity small pudding bowls. Pack 1 cup of mixture into each. Cover with 2 layers of greased baking paper and tie securely with string. Sit the bowls on a rack in a large saucepan or heat proof dish and fill the dish with sufficient water to come three quarters of the way up the sides of the bowls. Cover the whole dish with a lid or foil and simmer gently for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water from the kettle or jug as the water level drops. Remove from the water and cool before refrigerating until required. These small puddings will each serve 2; they are about as small as pudding bowls get. If you have bowls that will take ½ cupfuls of mixture, cook only for 1 ½ hours.

To Serve on Christmas Day

1. Large Pudding Bring a large saucepan or stock pot of water to the boil and place an old plate in the base. Once boiling, add the Christmas Pudding and simmer gently for 3 hours, topping up with water as the level drops. The pudding should be submerged in the water. Small Bowls Place back on the rack in the saucepan or pan and have sufficient boiling water to come ¾’s of the way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Cover with foil or a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours, topping up with boiling water from the kettle as required.