MUMMY'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

 200 g candied lemon peel

250 g candied orange peel

250 g candied bitter orange peel

200 g glace cherries

200 g candied pears

200 g dried apricots

200 g dried prunes

300 g whole raisins

150 g almonds, blanched, roasted and finely chopped

200 g apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped.

250 ml (1 cup) METAXA brandy

240 g butter

400 g sugar

8 eggs, separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt

1 1/2 cup orange juice

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ginger powder

400 g dried breadcrumbs

1/2 cup brandy for flaming

Cream

Place all the chopped candied fruit, with the choped apricots, prunes, raisins and almonds in a large bowl pour in the brandy and soak for 48 hours, stirring six times a day. 

Prepare the 2 pudding basins by brushing them lavishly with vegetable oil and line the bases of the pudding basins with baking parchment rounds oiled on both sides.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, add the yolks, one at a time and keep on beating after each addition. Stir in the grated nutmeg and ginger powder and pour in the orange juice alternately with the breadcrumbs in three portions. Then stir in the soaked fruit and gently fold in the whipped egg whites

Spoon the pudding batter into the prepared basins cover with tin foil and steam for one hour and remove from the heat to cool. 

On Chrisrmas day before serving heat the pudding in the oven preheated to 150 C, until piping hot and press a flexible knife around the edges of the pudding basins and place on hot pyrex dishes and ignite the hot brandy and pour over the puddings. Wait until the flames dies down and serve sliced with cream.