Dark Chocolate And Cherry Christmas Pudding - cooking recipe

Ingredients

40 g sultanas (1 1/2 oz)
40 g currants (1 1/2 oz)
40 g raisins (1 1/2 oz)
40 g dried figs, chopped (1 1/2 oz)
60 g large glace cherries, quartered (2 1/4 oz)
1 tablespoon black treacle
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small apple, cored, peeled, grated
2 tablespoons whiskey
40 g plain flour (1 1/2 oz)
25 g molasses sugar (1 oz)
15 g cocoa powder (1/2 oz)
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon salt
85 g bitter chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, grated (3oz)
1 large egg, beaten
227 g clotted cream, to serve (8 oz)

Preparation

Mix together the dried fruit, treacle, olive oil, apple and whiskey and leave for at least 4 hours , or overnight if possible.
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Add the egg to the soaked fruit and mix well.
Finally add the dry ingredients and mix well, but do not over-mix.
Place the mixture in a pudding basin, 617cm (6 1/2 in) in diameter and 9cm (3 1/2 in) deep, and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper.
Place a large piece of foil on top of a large piece of greaseproof paper, then fold in the centre to make a pleat.
Place the pleated papers on top of the pudding basin and use a long piece of string to tightly tie just below the rim of the basin.
With an extra piece of string, tie a long loop across the top, you can use this as a handle to help lower and lift the pudding in and out of the pan.
Place a heatproof sauce in the bottom of a large saucepan and sit the pudding on top.
Fill the pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the basin, then cover with a tightly fitting lid.
Bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 4-5 hours.
Check the water every couple of hours, and add extra boiling water as necessary to maintain the water level until the pudding had cooked.
Serve with clotted cream.