turkey, cranberry sauce, mince pies and last but by no means least, Christmas Pudding! But years ago, things were a little different at the festive dinner table -- the original Christmas Pudding was actually plum pudding.

Traditionally it was made on the third Sunday of Advent, a rich spicy mixture, similar to today's recipe, but also containing plums and oatmeal. The making of the plum pudding, as it was then called, was quite an exciting occasion and the whole family were frequently involved. Fruit, nuts and spices all needed cleaning, cracking, trimming, chopping and grinding -- none of your pre-washed raisins and shelled almonds in those days! And the list of ingredients was enormous, including silver coins or charms for added excitement. Each member of the family would take their turn in stirring the pudding in a huge earthenware bowl, making a wish as they did so and then it would be tipped out into a large buttered cloth which was tied up, ready to be steamed. (That explains why the traditional Christmas Pudding was a round ball shape!) Once cooked, it would be stored in the larder ready for Christmas Day -- the longer it was stored the better it tasted! If you would like to try something new this Christmas, why not have a go at the recipe for the traditional plum pudding? It is said that this recipe was used in the royal kitchens at Sandringham Palace, so it must be good! Dry Ingredients 10 oz plain flour/sifted 10 oz brown sugar 5 oz breadcrumbs 5 oz oatmeal 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 8 oz suet Fruit 10 oz dried plumbs (stoned and cut into halves) 10 oz raisins 10 oz currants 10 oz sultanas 5 oz mixed peel 5 oz glace cherries Liquid Ingredients Juice of 1/2 lemon 3 tablespoons milk 3 tots brandy 4 eggs (beaten) Mix the fruit and the dry ingredients together, then add the eggs and the remaining liquid ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and place in the fridge. Leave for at least 12 hours, then remove the mixture and put into a buttered pudding basin. (Make sure there is a one inch space at the top of the basin to allow for swelling.) Cover with buttered greaseproof paper tied securely, then foil and boil for 8 hours. The pudding can then be stored in a cupboard until required. On Christmas Day boil it for a further 2 hours -- then it is ready to serve! When Christmas day finally came, the pudding would be served up with a sprig of holly on top, flamed in brandy and eaten with rum sauce and thick cream -- delicious! But what of today? Well, of course, the traditional Christmas Pudding is still made (though plum pudding is a rarity).

There are numerous recipes and various cooking methods, including pressure cooking and microwaving -- both of which cut the cooking time down to a mere fraction of what it used to be. And, of course, we don't use a cloth these days -- not when a pudding basin is at hand! However, these days, many people are concerned about their health and how over indulgence, especially at Christmas, is bad for us. Perhaps you feel that after a large roast dinner you really ought to decline the pudding for the sake of your waistline! So for those who might have a pang of conscience this year, why not compromise with this low fat, low sugar Christmas Pudding. Dry Ingredients 3 oz wholemeal flour 3 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs 2 oz raisins 3 oz currents 3 oz ground almonds 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Liquid Ingredients 1/2 pint stout or Guiness 1 beaten egg 1 egg white Fresh fruit & Vegetables 1 cooking apple 1 orange 1 lemon 2 large carrots Mix all the dry ingredients together. Finely grate the apple and carrot, together with the rinds of the orange and lemon and stir these into the dry ingredients. Add the stout and beaten egg. Fold in the egg white.

Transfer to the pudding basin and steam for about 3 1/2 hours. Instead of serving with brandy butter or cream (both of which are terribly high in calories) try a dollop of ice cream (which isn't quite so bad) or if you are feeling really good, how about some Greek natural yoghurt? By the way, try to make the pudding a few weeks before Christmas -- this gives the flavour a chance to mature and can make a big difference. For those readers who are making a traditional steamed pudding for the first time, you may find the following tips helpful. * When you put the pudding on, the water must be boiling and it must continue to boil rapidly for at least the first hour. * Watch the water level at regular intervals (the pan should be half full) and make sure it doesn't boil dry. If the pan needs topping up, use the boiling water from the kettle so you don't cool it down. Be careful not to add too much water though -- you don't want the water in the pudding! * Make sure the top is tightly covered -- firstly with buttered greaseproof paper tied tightly, then foil or a pudding cloth. * Make a string handle tied round the basin, to lift it in and out with -- this makes life a lot easier and saves burning your fingers!! * The lid of the steamer or saucepan must be tightly closed. If you haven't got a steamer, stand the pudding basin on an up turned saucer in a sauce pan. So go on -- have a go this year -- just see how perfect a homemade pudding can be!