STEAMED CHRISTMAS PUDDING:

This is a family favourite which we make every Christmas. You can also make the presentation especially dramatic by 'flambéeing' it and serving it in a darkened room. It is complemented by a lemon sauce, but you can also make a brandy hard sauce if you prefer.

Ingredients:

• Pudding: 2 cups each grated apple, potato and carrot
• finely grated rind of 2 lemons
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups raisins or currants
• 1 1/2 cups chopped dates
• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 lb. melted butter
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp. soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• Lemon Sauce:
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 c. boiling water
• 3 Tbsp. melted butter
• Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
• few grains salt
• few grains nutmeg

Combine all pudding ingredients in large mixing bowl and adjust spices to personal taste. Transfer to heat-proof containers (I use ceramic dishes) and cover with waxed paper fixed with a string. Steam in covered pot for 3 1/2 hours (I use a large pasta pot with a steamer basket to keep the pudding containers above the level of the boiling water; ensure pan doesn't boil dry). If flambéeing, invert container onto serving plate, ladel brandy over just before serving and set alight.

Lemon Sauce: Stir sugar and cornstarch together in saucepan, whisk in boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for five minutes, continuing to stir. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

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