Christmas pudding!

- Recipe by Gillian Leahy, Slimming World -

A WORD FROM THE CHEF

Our version is still fruity and boozy – but it’s surprisingly light!

INGREDIENTS

225g dried mixed fruit

1tbsp brandy

170g carrots, finely grated

50g white self-raising flour

50g dark brown sugar

85g white bread, whizzed into breadcrumbs

Three large eggs, beaten

One cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated

75ml Guinness or stout

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

½tsp grated fresh nutmeg

Pinch of ground cinnamon

One level tsp mixed spice

Cranberries, to decorate

Mint sprig, to decorate

One level tsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Put the dried fruit in a bowl with the brandy, mix well and leave to soak for several hours, or overnight if time permits.

Add all the other ingredients to the dried fruit and brandy (remembering to make a wish!) and mix thoroughly.

Tip the mixture into a 1.2-litre pudding basin. Cover with a double thickness of baking parchment and then a piece of foil and tie securely with string.

Place the pudding on top of a steamer above gently simmering water.

Cover with a lid and steam gently for five hours, topping up the water in the bottom of the steamer if necessary.

When the pudding is cold, replace the covers with clean ones and store in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day (it can be stored for up to three months).

TOP TIP!

You can reduce the cooking time by two hours and 54 minutes by microwaving the pudding rather than steaming it on Christmas Day.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Gillian Leahy is the Slimming World consultant for the Virginia Group. Seated classes on Wednesdays at 9.30am and 6pm at Virginia Rugby Club.

Telephone Gillian 086-3682507.

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