Fruit & nut Christmas pudding loaf

Ingredients

• 400 g fruit mixed dried
• 85 g cherries 
• 1  bramley apples grated
• 150 ml apple juice good
• 2 tbsp brandy 
• 140 g butter for greasing
• 100 g t brown sugar dark
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 85 g self raising flour 
• 100 g breadcrumbs white
• 2 tbsp golden syrup 
• 2 tsp spice mixed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 tsp salt 
• 25 g blanched almonds and toasted roughly chopped
• 50 g butter 
• 50 g t brown sugar dark
• 1 tbsp golden syrup 
• 1 tbsp brandy 
• 25 g blanched almonds and whole toasted
• 2 tbsp frangelico (or use more brandy)
• 2 tbsp frangelico (or use more brandy)

Equipment

• bowl
• baking paper
• oven
• aluminum foil
• microwave

Directions

1. Put the dried fruit, cherries, apple, zests, apple juice, brandy and Cointreau in a large bowl. Microwave on High for 1 min, then leave to soak overnight.
2. Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with a strip of non-stick baking paper.
3. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas
4. Put the kettle on to boil and have a roasting tin, plus a sheet of buttered foil, ready.
5. Beat the butter and sugar together until it turns a little paler, then stir in the eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, syrup, spices, salt, soaked fruit and the nuts. Spoon into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Scrunch the foil loosely over the tin, twisting corners to tighten it around the tins edges. Sit it in the roasting tin, then pour in a few cms of boiling water. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 40 mins.
6. After 40 mins, turn down the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for another 1 hrs, topping up the water level every now and again.
7. To reheat the pudding, either return it to a medium oven for 30 mins in its tin, or turn out onto a serving plate, cover loosely with cling film and microwave for 5 mins on Medium. For the topping, gently heat the butter, sugar and syrup together until the sugar dissolves, stir in the brandy, then tip in the nuts and fruit. Spoon over the hot pudding and dust with a little icing sugar, if you like.