Sago plum pudding

This is the pudding my Nan used to make. Now Mum makes it and I guess, but hopefully not for a long time, it'll be my turn. I did make it once but didn't dissolve the sago properly and spilt all the brandy over the back of my car on the way to lunch. A subject for a few jokes that day, especially as I was working as a cook then.

Not sure about the quantities here. I think Mum makes two so there'll be leftovers for breakfast on boxing day. Mmm. Also need to get the recipe for the sauce. It's a great recipe though, puddinging but not too heavy.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of sago
1 cup of milk
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 cup of raisins (or mixed fruit?)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg

To MakeSoak sago in milk overnight.
Melt butter.
Add wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour into a greased (greased and lined) pudding container and set on a trivet and boil in plenty of water for three hours.
Rest slightly before turned out and setting alight with warmed brandy and eating with spice sauce, crean and icecream.

White Christmas

I love White Christmas at Christmas time, but not stuff you buy from the supermarket. Yucky. This is much nicer. It's adapted from The Big Book of Beautiful Biscuits published by The Australian Women's Weekly circa 1990 (but a reprint of an older series. I wish I still had the cake book from this series, the new one just doesn't cut it in my opinion). The success of this depends on the freshness of the ingredients, especially the milk powder. Don't be tempted to make it with some old powder you have lying around the cupboard like I did one year. It was foul. Buy a new tin. Also the original recipe uses glace fruit and sultanas but I just buy a packet of mixed fruit which works well. I've also doubled the quantity, assuming that you're making it to give away or share with a lot of people. It's not the sort of thing you want have lying around the house for too long.

You will need

• 500g copha
• 2 cups rice bubbles
• 2 cups full cream milk powder
• 2 cups coconut
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 375 packet of mixed fruit with glace cherries

To make

Place dry ingredients in bowl and mix well, making sure all the fruit is separated. Melt copha in microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Add melted copha to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into lined tin. Smooth down and refrigerate. When set, cut into small squares.