• 4 oz (100 g) self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml spoon) salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml spoon) mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml spoon) ground cinnamon
• ½-¾ of a whole nutmeg - grated
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml spoon) ground cloves
• 8 oz (200 g) shredded suet
• 10 oz (250 g) fresh white breadcrumbs
• grated rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• ½ lb (200 g) demerara sugar
• ½ lb (200 g) grated carrots
• ½ lb (200 g) grated cooking apples
• 12 oz (300 g) raisins
• 8 oz (200 g) currants
• 8 oz (200 g) sultanas
• 4 oz (100 g) mixed peel
• 2 oz (50 g) flaked almonds
• 2 tablespoons (2 x 15 ml spoon) black treacle
• ½ large wineglass Cointreau or brandy
• 4 lightly whisked eggs (size 4)

Sieve the flour, salt and spice into a large mixing bowl. Add all the remaining dry ingredients. Mix together thoroughly. Melt the treacle in a pan to make it a little runny. Stir into it the lemon and orange juice and the Cointreau or brandy and finally the eggs. Pour the liquid into the pudding mixture and stir thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave until the next day. Butter two 2-pt pudding basins and spoon in the mixture. Cover with a double layer of buttered greaseproof paper and then either a cloth tied on with string or foil tucked in round the rim.

Steam for 5-6 hours in pans of simmering water which should be kept topped up two-thirds up the sides of the basins. When cool, re-cover the basins and store in a cool place. On Christmas Day steam for a further 2-3 hours.