Christmas Fruit Pudding

Place mixed fruit, dates, raisins, water, white sugar, brown sugar, salt and butter in large saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts. Simmer 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in bi-carb soda. Leave overnight.

The next day, lightly beat eggs and rum. Stir into fruit mixture from day before until well mixed.

In batches, stir in plain flour, self raising flour, mixed spice and cinnamon. Stir until flour is mixed through.

Grease 4 x 900ml pudding bowls and place a piece of baking paper on the base of each bowl. Spread mixture evenly across the 4 bowls, making sure not to overfill the bowls. Place another piece of baking paper on top of the pudding mixture.

Cut 12 squares of aluminum foil large enough to cover the top of bowl with a little overhang. Grease each piece and layer 3 squares over the top of each bowl, smoothing down each piece as you put it on. Finally seal the aluminum squares onto the bowls using rubber bands (I use 3 rubber bands for each bowl).

Cook each pudding for 4 hours by steaming over boiling water (I use my saucepan steamer set for this step). Do not allow the water to reach the top of the puddings and do not touch the top of the puddings as this will allow moisture into the pudding. You will need to keep topping up the water to ensure it doesn't boil dry.

Allow to cool and then store in fridge.