Serves 6-8

• 250g chopped stoned dates
• 100g raisins
• 150 ml milk
• 150 ml brandy or rum
• 140g butter, softened
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• Zest of 1 orange

1. In a saucepan, put the dates, raisins, milk and brandy/rum and bring slowly to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens and the liquid is absorbed. Leave to cool.
2. Butter a large pudding basin.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well combined.
4. Add the flour, mixed spice, orange zest and date mixture and stir well.
5. Spoon the mixture into the pudding bowl.
6. Cover with foil, loosely fitted, and place in a large saucepan and add boiling water to half way up the basin. Turn heat down to a simmer.
7. Put the lid on the pan and steam for 2 hours.

Once cooked, you can cover the pudding with clean foil and keep for a week.

Re-steam the pudding for 1 hour before serving.

If there are only 2 or 3 of you, the recipe is easily halved, but use a small basin.