(a half recipe will fit in one pudding bowl)
1kg mixed fruit
250g dates
250g raisins
2 C water
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp salt
250g butter
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 eggs
2 C plain flour
2 C self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
ΒΌ C rum
Place in pan fruit, roughly chopped dates, raisins, water, sugars, salt and butter. Stir over low heat until butter has melted. Stir over low heat util butter has melted. Simmer mixture 8 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove heat, stir in soda. Allow to stand until mixture is completely cold. Lightly beat together eggs and rum, stir into cold mixture. Add sifted flours, mixed spice and cinnamon. Mix well.
To steam: Fill into a well-greased 4 litre pudding basin. Steam 6 hours. Repleish with boiling water every 20 mins. Re-steam 2 hours of day of serving.