Save your cheesecake and Banoffee pies ’til St. Stephen’s Day. This heavenly dessert is best enjoyed on Christmas Day with Keith Tulloch’s critically acclaimed Botrytis Semillon.

Christmas Pudding

Makes 4 small puddings, which serve about 4-5 each

½ lb / 225g beef suet
4oz / 115g breadcrumbs
8oz / 225g raisins
12oz / 340g sultanas
4oz / 115g currants
4 eggs
4oz / 115g plain flour
2oz / 55g glacé cherries
¼ tsp salt
¾ lb brown sugar
1 dessertspoon mixed spice
1 large apple, peeled and cut into chunks
1 lemon, finely grated rind and juice
4oz / 115g mixed peel
2oz / 55g shredded almonds
1 measure (about 35ml) rum or whiskey
½ × 330ml bottle stout

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large basin and then add the lemon rind, juice and apple.  Beat the eggs well and add with the rum or whiskey.  Add the stout and mix well again.  The mixture should be of a consistency that drops of a spoon easily, add a little more stout if necessary.

Fill 4 bowls ¾ full with the mixture, to leave room for swelling.  Cover the top of the mixture with greased greaseproof paper and top the bowls with another sheet of greaseproof paper and a pudding cloth.  Secure these tops with string, leaving a loop for easy lifting.  Put the bowls in a pot of boiling water that comes half-way up the bowls.  Boil steadily for 3 hours and keep adding boiling water in case the pot goes dry.

These puddings will keep in a dry cool place for up to 12 months.  To re-heat, boil again for 3 hours, or microwave until completely heated through.