Buckfast Christmas Pudding

Directions

1. 1
   Place all of the dried fruits into a bowl and pour the Buckfast over - cover well and leave for a couple of days in the fridge.
2. 2
   Strain the soaked fruits, keeping the Buckfast.
3. 3
   In another (large) bowl mix the suet, flour, breadcrumbs, sugar, spices and salt - mix well.
4. 4
   Then mix in the zests, peel, nuts, apple and finally the drained soaked fruits.
5. 5
   In another bowl beat the eggs with the reserved Buckfast pour all over the dry mixture and stir - this is a big job to do so you can cheat by using a machine, but as its Christmas everyone in the family should give the pudding mix a stir for good luck - the mix should be a dropping consistency if it's a touch dry add a little more Buckfast.
6. 6
   Cover bowl with cling film and put in the fridge overnight for the flavours to develop.
7. 7
   Grease your chosen (size) pudding basin with plenty of unsalted butter.
8. 8
   Pack in the mixture and level off evenly, cover with a circle of greaseproof paper then a pleated piece of tin foil sealing around the rim of the basin/s well.
9. 9
   Steam pudding/s for 8 hours minimum, check from time to time that the pan you're steaming in doesn't boil dry!
10. 10
    When done - cool and store (best made in late October/early November)
11. 11
    When needed (I suggest Christmas day - Ha!) steam for 2 hours and serve with a drizzle of Buckfast over the top of the piping hot pudding and a good dollop of Devon (obviously) clotted cream.