Cherry Christmas pudding

NZ Woman's Weekly 29/11/2011

Annabelle White

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Serves 2

1 cup	Raisins
1 cup	Currants, or diced prunes
1 cup	Saltanas
½ cup	Almonds, chopped
3 tbsp	Mixed spice
3 tbsp	Treacle
¾ cup	Rice bran oil, or peanut oil
2	Apples, grated
4 tbsp	Brandy
3½ cups	Pitted cherries, fresh or canned, drained
4	Eggs, beaten
200 g	Dark chocolate, minimum 64% cocoa
1¼ cups	Flour
¾ cup	Brown sugar, soft
¼ cup	Cocoa powder
¼ tsp	Salt

Mix together the first 10 ingredients and leave for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible. Add the eggs to the soaked fruit and mix well.
Mix all dry ingredients together, including chocolate, and with light hands, mix into fruit. Place the mixture into two greased 1-litre pudding basins.
Cover with greaseproof paper, then take a large piece of tinfoil, fold and pleat in the middle before tightly covering the pudding basins. Tie edges with string to secure the tinfoil tightly.
For each pudding: In the bottom of a large saucepan place a thick piece of cardboard or a heat-proof saucer and lower the pudding on top. Fill each saucepan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basins, then cover with a tightly fitting lid.
Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 4 hours. Be sure to check the water every hour and add extra boiling water to maintain the water level until the pudding is cooked.

Tip : Serve with brandy sauce, vanilla ice cream, or slightly sweetened creme fraiche

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