I found this recipe in my mother's recipe note book. It had come from my grandmother. It must now be at least a century old - probably much more. It is called "John Bull's Own".

It is very light and takes time to mature. I make it every three years or so. It keeps for years, growing darker all the time.

I use plastic pudding basins with snap on lids, but if you are being really traditional use china basins and pudding cloths on top.

  Ingredients for 4 - 5 pints of mixture -- 2 - 3 medium puddings:

    225 g (8 oz) fine fresh bread crumbs (white or brown)
    50 g (2 oz) ground almonds
    175 g (6 oz) beef suet
    225 g (8 oz) soft brown sugar
    4 eggs
    225 g (8 oz) of each - currants, raisons, sultanas and mixed peel
    125 g (4 oz) chopped or minced nuts
    1 small teaspoonful of each - ground mace, cinnamon, and ginger
    1 rounded teaspoonful baking powder
    1 rounded teaspoonful nutmeg
    A glass of rum
    The rind and juice of a lemon or orange

Mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl, leave to stand over night and mix again.

Place the mixture into three greased one pint pudding basins, put grease-proof paper on top and then a cover.

Steam for four hours. Allow to cool.

Put on fresh grease-proof and a dry cover.

Reheat when wanted by steaming for at least two hours.