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Christmas pudding

• Sift the flour, mixed spice and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, flaked almonds, dried fruit and apple.
• In a jug, combine the eggs, lemon juice, zest and treacle.
• Melt the butter and muscovado sugar over a low heat, then mix with the egg mixture and the dry ingredients. Cover with a cloth and set aside for 1 hour.
• Grease a 1.2l pudding basin with a little butter. Stir the mixture again and spoon it into the basin, ensuring the top is level. Cover with buttered greaseproof paper which contains a few small pleats, then cover the top of the basin with pleated foil and secure with string.
• Heat the oven to 150°C (gas mark 2). Place the pudding in a deep baking tin and pour boiling water into the tin to a depth of 2½cm (1in). Cover the tin with a tent of foil and cook for 4-5 hours.
• Let the pudding cool completely. Remove and discard the coverings. Spoon over the brandy and cover with fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Keep cool in the fridge.
• To serve the pudding, bring it back to room temperature, re-cover with buttered greaseproof paper and foil, again secure it with string and steam for 2 hours.
• Invert the pudding onto a serving plate and remove the bowl. Pour 2tbsp of brandy into a ladle, warm it over a candle, then let the flame lick over the warm brandy. When it lights, pour it over the pudding. Serve immediately with brandy butter.