Copas Traditional Turkeys: Special Christmas recipes

Great Auntie Stella’s Christmas Pudding

Great Auntie Stella was a wonderful elegant lady in the Copas family. She never had any children of her own but she certainly knew how to spoil them and the rest of the family. Her Christmas pudding was always hard to beat!

INGREDIENTS (to make 6 puddings, reduce quantities as necessary)

2lbs Brown Breadcrumbs (large loaf left in the open for 2-3 days)
225g (½ lb) Atora Shredded Suet (shredded suet keeps puds much lighter than butcher's suet)
550g (1lb) Currants
550g (1lb) Sultanas
1100g (2 lbs) Raisins (if you can get them, use unseeded raisins which you stone and chop)
115g (¼ lb) Mixed Peel
345g (¾ lb) Dark Sugar (not Demerara)
115g (¼) Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Salt
115g (¼ lb) Ground Almonds
550g (1lb) Grated Raw Carrots
550g (1lb) Prunes (cover with boiling water & soak for 24 hours - then stone and chop finely)
Grated rind and juice of 1 Orange & 1 Lemon
6 Large Eggs
Good wine glass of Brandy (about ¼ pint)

METHOD

Mix all the dry ingredients together, beat the eggs and add to the mixture.
Leave until next morning then stir in the brandy (have a drink for luck!).
Grease basins, add mixture, cover tops with foil and steam for 8 hours (the longer you steam the darker the puds).
Take foil covers off and when quite cold cover with greaseproof paper and recover with foil.
Store in a cool place - they will keep for at least 2 years.

Find the sixpence! For generations it has been a family tradition to mix one sixpence into the mix for the children to hunt for at Christmas lunch. These days we wrap a coin or two wrapped in foil and add to the mix before steaming. N.B. Please take care with small children and ensure all are aware of the game.