Goodness Christmas Pudding

1. Soak dried fruit for at least 6 hours or overnight in 250ml (1 cup) of brandy or rum.
2. Brush a 2L (8 cup) capacity pudding basin with melted butter to grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.
3. With an electric beater, cream butter and sugar in a bowl until pale & creamy.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
5. Mix in lemon and orange rinds, breadcrumbs, flour, spices, bi-carb soda & the dried fruit mixture. Stir well after each addition until all combined.
6. Spoon mixture into basin & cover with baking paper & foil. You want to keep this watertight! *(See notes below)
7. Place an unturned saucer into the bottom of your saucepan. Fill one-third of a saucepan with boiling water & bring to a simmer over low heat. Lower the pudding basin into the saucepan. Add enough boiling water to reach two-thirds of the way up the basin. Simmer, covered over low-medium heat for 4 hours. Add more boiling water if necessary.
8. Remove basin from pan & set aside for 5 mins. Cover the pudding basin with a suitable covering like beeswax wrap or cling wrap and foil and store away in the refrigerator until your celebration.
9. On Christmas Day: Reheat pudding as in step 7 for one hour over medium heat or until pudding is heated through.

*Notes. You want to keep your pudding watertight. Keep the baking paper as your layer closest to the pudding and add foil on top, then seal well with string aroung the outside of the bowl and trim of any extra paper or foil down the side on the pudding basin.

TO SERVE: you can pour brandy or rum over pudding & light with a match. It is also delicious with custard, cream or ice-cream!