Cold Christmas Pudding

By David & Rosemary Lucas

This recipe is our own modified version of one appearing in a Davis Gelatine Publication of some twenty or so years ago. The quantities given were stated to be for twelve “catering” servings: we have found them fairly adequate for about half that number in a hearty domestic festive setting.

Ingredients	Metric	US/Imperial
Gelatine (leaf or powdered)	25g	1oz
Water to dissolve	125g	5oz
Mixed dried fruit (we like equal parts raisins, sultanas, and currants and some decent candied peel)	600g	24oz
Water or, for preference, fruit juice to cook and soften dried fruit	250g	10oz
Glace cherries, halved or chopped (Original recipe gives 2oz figs or ginger)	100g	4oz
Almonds (We use whole almonds lightly chopped; original recipe uses 2oz blanched and shredded)	100g	4oz
Bananas, sliced	3 off	3 off
Sugar (We like Muscavado but white is OK)	100g	4oz.
Rum (Original recipe gives 5oz sweet sherry and 1oz brandy. We think dark rum is far and away the best spirit for almost all cooking purposes)	150g	6oz.
Lemon juice (Better squeezed than from a bottle. Seville or bitter orange is also very satisfactory)	25g	1oz.

Wash and prepare dried fruit if necessary. (These days it is almost always sold ready for use)
Simmer dried fruit and sugar for 15 minutes in water or fruit juice to soften and plump up.
Strain through sieve, gently mix in the remaining ingredients, and add the liquid from cooking the fruit together with the dissolved gelatine.
Put into suitable mould and chill thoroughly until set.
Serve with adequate quantities of fresh cream or home-made ice-cream.

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