Moist Plum Pudding - cooking recipe

Ingredients

The Mixed fruits
250 g sultanas
250 g dark raisins
150 g dates (pitted & chopped coarsely)
100 g prunes (pitted & chopped coarsely)
100 g mixed peel (candied peels or freshly peeled from the real fruit)
100 g glace cherries
2 oranges (use both juices and rind)
1 lemon (use both juice and rind)
The Dry ingredients
200 g breadcrumbs (ground from normal white bread slices)
100 g flour (sifted)
180 g brown sugar
70 g sliced almonds or 70 g cubed almonds
2 -3 teaspoons mixed spice (depends on how aromatic you want it)
The Wet ingredients
225 g soft salted butter (soft enough to be stirred in with the other ingredients)
4 eggs (slightly beaten, DO Not overbeat or pudding will be spongy instead of compact or dense)
1 cup Coke (you can use any dark carbonated drink)
1 apple (grated or chopped)
1 carrot (grated or chopped)

Preparation

Soak the Mixed fruits in the juices of the orange & lemon for at least 6 hours or best overnight).
Butter the suitable mould/basin all round. It is better to line the bottom of the mould with greaseproof paper to ensure the pudding does not stick when un-moulded.
Boil a pot (if possible with a lid) of water that could fit the mould/basin.
Combine all the Dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Add in the Mixed fruits and mix well again.
Add in the Wet ingredients and mix well again.
Pour into the mould/basin. Cover with greaseproof paper which fits the size of the top of the pudding.
Use aluminium foil and fold a pleat in the centre (to allow the pudding to expand while cooking).
Cover the mould/basin snugly & secure it with a string.
Boil on Medium flame for first half hour and then turn down the heat and simmer for 7 hours.
Once cooked, leave it to cool slightly before unwrapping and un-moulding.
Remove the foil and paper and turn the pudding out on a plate. It would still feel soft as it is hot.
Once totally cooled, wrap it in cling film and foil and refrigerate it for at least 2 weeks or up to a month before cutting and eating.
NOTE: You can either use any heat-proof basin/mould that resembles a pudding basin which fits into your pot of hot water.
NOTE: Although I only used Mixed spice, you can use Orange Essence or Vanilla essence for preference.
All the best!