A different sort of Christmas Pud ... this French recipe was sent in by Jean Chambers, one of our readers in the Creuse. Thanks Jean, it looks good.

Makes one 2.5kg size pudding

100g prunes
750g mixed raisins
250g candied fruit
10g mixed spices
10g cinnamon
A little nutmeg
250g soft, dark brown sugar
250g breadcrumbs
250g veal fat chopped very finely
2 apples
2 lemons
2 oranges
4 eggs
150g flour
A little milk or water

Cut the candied fruit into small pieces and the apples into thin strips. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons. Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and add some mixed spice to taste Stir to mix well and add some milk or water if the mixture is too dry. Cover and leave to rest until the next day.

The next day, stir again and add the glass of rum. Pour the mixture into a 2.5kg buttered pudding basin and steam for 4 hours. This will give a soft, moist pudding - but it will not keep for a long time. If you want to keep the pudding for up to one year, then steam it for 7 hours.

Just before serving, turn the pudding out on to a serving plate, pour over some warmed rum and some sugar and set alight.