Baked Plum Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 loaf (or 250 ml crumbs) stale bread, grated
• 1 quart (950 ml) milk
• 225 g currants, picked and dried
• 225 g raisins, picked and dried
• 115 g citron, cut in large slips
• 1 whole nutmeg, grated
• 1 tbsp mace and cinnamon mixed
• 250 ml sugar
• 120 g butter
• 240 ml white wine
• 8 eggs
• flour, for dredging

Method

Steep the breadcrumbs in boiling milk the night before to hydrate them fully and create a custard-like base. Pour the milk boiling hot over 250 ml of grated stale bread, cover, and let it sit for at least an hour — the crumb absorbs the liquid completely, softening into a porridge that will bind the pudding without flour. This steeping is non-negotiable; it's what prevents the finished pudding from being gritty or dense.

While the bread steeps, prepare your dried-fruit: pick over the currants and raisins carefully to catch any grit or stems, then toss them in flour — this prevents them sinking to the bottom during baking. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale, then work in the grated nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon. Once the bread has cooled completely (crucial, or the eggs will scramble), fold this spice butter into the breadcrumb mixture, then add the white wine and stir until homogeneous. The alcohol serves two purposes: it carries the spice flavours into the crumb and it will cook off during the long bake, leaving a subtle warmth.

Beat the eggs only lightly — just enough to break the yolks and whites together; over-beating introduces air and creates an uneven, spongy texture instead of the dense, moist crumb you want. Fold the eggs into the cooled mixture gradually, stirring hard as you go. Add the floured dried-fruit last in stages, stirring constantly to distribute them evenly. Transfer into a well-buttered baking dish — don't use a pudding basin here; a standard ceramic or glass dish allows even heat penetration and a decent golden crust to form.

Bake at 180°C for approximately 2 hours. The pudding is set when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the surface has taken on a deep amber-gold colour — it should wobble very slightly in the centre but not slosh. Serve warm, not hot, with a wine sauce if you wish, or simply with a pour of cold cream. The texture should be dense and moist, with a slight give, not cake-like or fluffy.