Canteen 

Plum Pudding

375g raisins,

 300g currants

150g sultanas

170g craisins

 1 cup finely grated carrot

200g pitted prunes, chopped

250ml (1 cup) rum or brandy

Melted butter, to grease

250g butter, at room temperature

200g (1 cup) firmly packed brown sugar

4 eggs

175g (2 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs

75g (1/2 cup) self raising flour 

75g (1/2 cup) plain flour 

2 tsp mixed spice 

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Combine raisins, currants, sultanas, craisins, carrot & prunes in a bowl.

Pour over the alcohol, cover & set aside for 6 hours or overnight to macerate.

Grease & line the base of a 2L (8-cup) capacity pudding basin.

Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until pale and creamy

. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (mixture may appear curdled). 

Stir in breadcrumbs, combined flours, mixed spice and cinnamon. 

Add the fruit mixture and stir until combined. Spoon into the basin. Place an upturned heatproof saucer in the base of a saucepan. Fill one-third of the saucepan with boiling water and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Cut a 30cm-square piece of non-stick baking paper and a 30cm-square piece of foil. Place the paper on foil and fold to make a pleat in the center. Place over basin, foil-side up. Tie a double piece of kitchen string around basin to secure.

 To make a handle, tie a double piece of string loosely over the top of the basin. 

 Lower the basin onto the saucer in saucepan. Add enough boiling water to reach two-thirds of the way up the basin. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 4 hours, adding extra boiling water if necessary, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the pudding comes out clean.

Sunbeam Boiled Fruit Cake

500g  Mixed Fruit

½ cup sherry or brandy

1 cup water

125g butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon boiling water

2 x eggs

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup plain flour

½ teaspoon mixed spice

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy
2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes.
3. Add lightly beaten eggs mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.
4. Place in a 20cm round or square cake tin.  Bake at 160°C for 75 to 90 minutes. Cool in tin.
5. Can be made up to four weeks in advance. Wrap tightly in Glad wrap and foil, store in a cool dry place. Suitable to freeze.

Thermo cooker method:

1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy.
2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar into TM bowl and heat 7 min/100°C/Reverse/speed 1.
3. Add bicarb soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water and gently stir through with the spatula – the mix will froth up but should not spill over.
4. Cool for 15 minutes in TM bowl.
5. Carefully add all remaining ingredients apart from the blanched almonds in the order listed and mix 10 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
6. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix 5 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
7. Place in a lined 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160ºC for 1¼ to 1½ hours. Cool in tin.