Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  8             ounces  unsalted butter
  8             ounces  dark muscovado sugar
  1 1/2         ounces  black treacle
  2              large  eggs
  2             ounces  self raising flour
     1/2      teaspoon  ground mixed spice
     1/2      teaspoon  ground cinnamon
     1/2      teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  1         tablespoon  cocoa powder
  5 1/2         ounces  fresh brown breadcrumbs
                        zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
  1         tablespoon  ground almonds
  100      milliliters  milk
  100      milliliters  brown ale
  50       milliliters  brandy
  50       milliliters  dark rum
     1/2         small  apple -- grated
  7             ounces  currants
  7             ounces  sultanas
  7             ounces  raisins
  1 1/2         ounces  dried mixed peel -- chopped
  2             ounces  dates -- chopped
  2             ounces  dried apricots -- chopped
  2             ounces  prunes -- chopped
  2             ounces  walnuts -- roughly chopped

Preparation:

This pudding should be prepared the day before you want to serve it. This recipe will make 10 individual puddings or two x one pint puddings. Grease well 10 individual pudding tins and put circles of greased paper in the bottom. Cream the butter, sugar and black treacle. Add beaten eggs, sieved flour, spices, cocoa powder and breadcrumbs and fold all together. Add the lemon zest and juice, ground almonds and milk. Gradually add the fruits, spirits, nuts and ale and stir all together well. Make a wish! Leave overnight to develop the flavour and darken the colour. The next day, preheat the oven to 130C. Fill the prepared pudding tins and cover with foil. Bake in a bain marie for approximately 2 hours until firm. Allow to cool for half an hour or so and then remove from tins with a firm shake. I like to serve this with brandy cream and a swirl of sharp raspberry puree to cut through the richness.

Nutritional Information:

4066 Calories (kcal); 236g Total Fat; (51% calories from fat); 53g Protein; 441g Carbohydrate; 884mg Cholesterol; 239mg Sodium