What would Christmas dinner be like without a Christmas Pudding. This is an adapted version of my Mums recipe.

LOWER CARB TRADITIONAL STEAMED CHRISTMAS PUDDING

110g (3 3/4oz) suet

110g (3 3/4oz) ground almonds

1 tsp mixed spice/all spice/pumpkin spices or all 3 if you want

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

100g (4 oz) sukrin gold, if you want it less sweetness reduce this

1 orange, zested

1 lemon, zested

25g (1oz) chopped blanched almonds

75g (2 1/4oz) dried apricots

75g (2 1/4oz) chopped dried dates

50g (2oz) chopped dried figs

25g (1 oz) chopped walnuts

50g (2oz) dried cherries

50g (2oz) dried cranberries

1 Bramley apple, cored and diced

150ml (5fl oz) Strong cold tea

2 tbsp brandy

2 eggs

50g (2oz) coconut flour

Place the suet, ground almonds, spices, sweetener,citrus zest, nuts, fruit and apple in a large bowl and combine well.

Whisk together the Tea, brandy and eggs, then pour this into the fruit mixture and mix again really thoroughly

Cover and leave to stand overnight.

Sift in the flour and mix thoroughly before spooning in to a 1.2 litre (2pt) basin.

Cover the top with a circle of greaseproof paper and then cover with another larger piece that has a fold in the middle, which enables the pudding to expand.

Tie round the rim of the basin with string.

Repeat with a piece of foil, tying with string.

Put in a large pan. Use a trivet or, if you don’t have one, something small such as a saucer to prevent the pudding from touching the base of the pan and getting too hot. Then pour in boiling water to at least halfway up the side of the basin.

Steam for 8 hours, over a low heat, checking from time to time as you will need to top up the water.

After 8 hours, remove from the pan and store somewhere cool until Christmas.

When you wish to eat the pudding, steam as above in step 4, for 2 hours.

If you want to use a pressure cooker:

Bring water to the boil

Place pudding bowl on a trivet to raise it from the bottom

Steam with the lid closed for 15 minutes

Turn to highest (12lbs) pressure setting and bring up to pressure

Cook under pressure for 2 hours

After 2 hours remove from heat and allow to depressurise

Carefully remove from the pan, then remove the foil and paper and invert onto a plate to serve.

Serve with whipped cream or brandy butter.

Again not worked out the carbs. I’ll leave that to you to see if you think it’s worth it, personally Christmas pudding is always worth it.