Jellied Christmas Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 225 g raisins, chopped finely
• 450 g sultanas, chopped finely
• 110 g currants
• 50 g mixed peel
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 50 g glace apricot, chopped finely
• 50 g glace cherries, chopped finely
• 25 g glace cherries, extra,for decoration
• 1 1/3 cups water, extra
• 3 1/2 tablespoons gelatin
• 50 g slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 cup sweet sherry
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 combine chopped raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a colander or large sieve.
• 2 wash thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.
• 3 repeat process until the water draining off the fruits is completely clean- this ensures a crystal clear jelly.
• 4 place combined washed fruit, sugar and water in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• 5 increase heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• 6 place a sieve over a mixing bowl and empty contents of the saucepan into the sieve.
• 7 reserve the liquid and place the fruit into another, large, mixing bowl.
• 8 now, line the sieve with 2 layers of muslin or any clean, thin material which will allow liquid to drain through- we use a clean, unused'chux' towel.
• 9 place the sieve over the bowl with the fruit in it and pour the reserved liquid through the sieve into the bowl.
• 10 add the finely chopped glace cherries and apricots to the fruit mixture.
• 11 pour the extra water into a small saucepan.
• 12 sprinkle over gelatine, stir and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
• 13 place the saucepan over a low heat and stir constantly until the gelatine is dissolved.
• 14 add gelatine mixture to fruit mixture.
• 15 add almonds, sherry, brandy and lemon juice to fruit mixture and mix well.
• 16 now, take 1/3 cup liquid from the fruit mixture and pour half of it over the base of a metal pudding basin, reserving the other half.
• 17 refrigerate until partly set.
• 18 when partly set, cut the extra cherries into quarters and arrange decoratively in the jelly in the bottom of the pudding basin.
• 19 pour over the remaining reserved liquid and refrigerate until set.
• 20 when the jelly in the basin is set, add the rest of the fruit mixture.
• 21 cover tightly with aluminium foil and refrigerate overnight to set.
• 22 this pudding will keep happily for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
• 23 to unmould, take a blunt knife and carefully work around the sides of the basin, breaking the airlock between the pudding and the mould.
• 24 place a serving plate on the top of the basin, then, holding the plate firmly, tip the basin upside down and remove it gently.
• 25 if all the pudding is not eaten, i usually put it back into the pudding basin to store as the metal sides keep it nice and cold.
• 26 serve with cream, icecream or custard.