Just over 3 months from the big day! Mum started her preparations at the beginning of October, purchasing ingredients and cleaning the baking tins, jars etc.

Mincemeat was first on the list, followed by Christmas puddings, then Christmas cake, lastly just a few days before Christmas – the Lemon Cheese – my favourite, oh and the pickled onions, beetroot, red cabbage and piccalli! Ours was a busy household during the months leading up to Christmas, kept us kids out of trouble.

Although I now appreciate that Mum’s Christmas pudding was lovely, when younger I didn’t really like currants, raisins or sultanas (something about the texture). Since then I have discovered that if the raisins and sultanas are halved/quartered, this is no longer a problem.

I may use this recipe, or I may have something a little bit different. I do fancy an “adult” cheesecake with perhaps a touch of alcohol, probably a Whisky Liqueur. Whatever, it has to be a healthy and low fat alternative, I don’t want all my good work undone.

This recipe can be made on the day – both quick and easy. If you want a large pudding use a 2 pint basin and steam for 2 hours.

1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
8 oz grams fresh wholemeal or white breadcrumbs
4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz dark soft brown sugar
2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten
1 small or 1/2 large orange – juice and grated zest
1 lime – juice and grated zest
4 oz dried apricots, chopped
4 oz dried cherries, chopped
4 oz golden sultanas, halved
4 oz seedless raisins, halved
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp Glayva Whisky liqueur or whisky

Butter individual metal pudding basins and place a piece of buttered greaseproof paper in the bottom of each

Sift the flour and cinnamon into a bowl, stir in the breadcrumbs and put to one side

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl, beat in the eggs and stir in the flour and breadcrumbs

Add the citrus zest and juice, apricots, cherries, sultanas, raisins, carrot and whisky liqueur, mix together thoroughly

Divide the mixture between the basins, number dependent on size of puddings required, then cover each with a double piece of greaseproof and a single piece of kitchen foil (pleated in the centre), tie with string and form a loop for ease of removal from the saucepan or steamer

Steam for 1 hour, top up with boiling water if water level is too low

Allow the puddings to stand for 10 minutes before turning out