Christmas Pudding (Plum Pudding)

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1. 1Step 1: Special equipment: a 5 or 6 cup pudding basin/mold like this Mason Cash bowl.
2. 2Step 2: Butter the pudding bowl and line the bottom with a disc of parchment or waxed paper, and butter the paper, too.
3. 3Step 3: Beat the suet/butter and sugar together until soft.
4. 4Step 4: Then add the flour, eggs, and spice until mixed. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
5. 5Step 5: Put the mixture into the buttered bowl and flatten the top.
6. 6Step 6: Cut a disc of waxed or parchment paper the size of the top, butter it and place on top of the pudding mixture.
7. 7Step 7: Tear a piece of parchment paper and aluminum foil, large enough to cover the top of the bowl, and go halfway down the sides, and place the foil on top of the parchment. Create a pleat down the center, so that the pudding will have space to expand when cooking.
8. 8Step 8: Place the paper and foil over the pudding basin, then tie some string under the lip of the bowl, leaving extra string to tie over the top to form a handle, tying it on the opposite end. If you don't have a steamer, like me, place a trivet in a pot and fill the water so that it's halfway up the bowl and use a tight fitting lid.
9. 9Step 9: Steam for 6 hours, checking the water level once an hour or so, and topping it up.
10. 10Step 10: Once you've taken the bowl out of the pot, remove the aluminum foil and waxed/parchment paper, wipe the rim and edge of the bowl (don't remove the pudding) and replace with clean paper. Store in a cool place.
11. 11Step 11: To serve: you can steam it for another two hours, OR simply microwave it for a few minutes until it's piping hot! Let stand for a few minutes before removing from the bowl.
12. 12Step 12: Place on a heatproof serving dish and douse with brandy. Carefully light the pudding (please do this in a safe area), then when the flame extinguishes, cut and serve with brandy sauce or butter, thick cream, lightly whipped cream, or custard.