21 oct

Calala Pudding

Mrs WH Keating, Quambone Branch

SERVES 8–10

500 g day-old bread (about 15 slices), soaked in water

500 g carrots, grated

500 g granny smith apples, grated

500 g pitted dates, finely chopped

500 g (2 cups) shredded suet (see note)

770 g (3½ cups) caster sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 teaspoons mixed spice

custard, to serve

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for steaming, placing a small heatproof plate upside down in the water to keep the pudding basin off the base of the pan. Grease and flour a 2.5 litre (10 cup) capacity pudding basin, or two 1.5 litre (6 cup) capacity basins.

Squeeze the bread dry. Combine the bread in a large bowl with the carrot, apple, dates, suet, sugar, syrup and spice.

Spoon the batter into the basin, cover tightly and lower it into the boiling water. Steam for 5 hours (4 hours if making two 1.5 litre puddings), or until cooked through, adding more water to the pan as required.

Serve hot, with custard.

Note: shredded suet is available as a packet mix at supermarkets, or fresh from your butcher.