Christmas Pudding
This is the same recipe that my Mum and Grandma have made for as long as I can remember. And the treat as a child was to get to stir the pudding and poke the sixpences in. This is still something I do. Our no 1 son claimed the privledge of doing this until he got married and left home (as first born he said it was his right to put the sixpences in, despite the pleas from the other children). When I got married my Mum gave me the recipe and 12 sixpences, (I have lost 1 in 30 years).
Because it has to boil for 6 hours I usually make my pudding the first cool day in November as it gets too hot to think about cooking and heating up the house.

You will need:
A piece of unbleached Calico (I use 1 metre square)
250g dates
250g raisins
1 cup white sugar
1tsp salt
2tsp Bi-carb soda
2 cups plain flour
2tsp mixed spice
1/4 cup rum
2 cups water
1kg mixed fruit
1 cup brown sugar
250g margarine
3 eggs
2 cups SR flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Put in a large saucepan the roughly chopped dates, raisins, water, sugars, salt and butter and stir over a low heat until butter has melted, bring to the boil and reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 8 mins stirring occasionally, remove from heat, add soda and mix well (it will froth a little so make sure your saucepan is big) allow mixture to become completely cold. Beat eggs and rum until combined. Add egg mixture and sifted flours and spices to the fruit and mix well.
To use cloth: Pre wash and dry, then drop into a large saucepan of boiling water and boil for 30 mins. Remove and wring out well (use rubber gloves and tongs to squeeze) Spread out the cloth and sprinkle with plain flour to within 4" of the edge (this gives the pudding the thick skin) Put the cloth in a large bowl, sides draping over the edge and put the mixture into the centre of the cloth (if using sixpences poke them in now) and gather up the sides evenly. Tie with string (I use several pieces) about 1" above the pudding mixture, and then again higher, make sure it is tight and do it several times. Put into a large boiler of BOILING WATER (pudding must be able to float) replenish with boiling water every 20 mins. Boil rapidliy for 6 hours (must boil all the time) Hang straight away to dry (takes apporx 24hrs.) I usually slide a pillow case over to keep creepy crawlies off. When dry put in a large plastic bag and store in the fridge (will keep for 5-6 weeks). On Christmas day, place into boiling water and bring back to boiling then boil for 1 1/2 hours once again at a constant boil. Remove from water, put on plate, cut string, peel cloth down, put another plate on top and turn over to be able to remove cloth completely. Serve with hot custard. If you put sixpences in, make a deal and swap them for 10c pieces with those who get them. You CANNOT use modern currency as the metal combination is wrong and they contaminate the pudding.