Too Early for Christmas Pudding?

I spotted a great recipe for Christmas pudding, as it's not too early to start thinking about it, especially if you are making your own. This is from a very talented chef I met at the Talbot Inn in Ripley, Ian Richards, really nice guy. See what you think.


Recipe of the month by The Talbot Inn head chef, Ian Richards

Christmas PuddingYes... already! We like ours to mature for at least four months.
Ingredients:225g plain flour (sieved)
1 tsp of backing powder
225g white bread crumbs
225g suet100g ground almonds

MIX
1500g dark soft brown sugar
1 tsp of mixed spice 1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
175g of prunes
175g grated carrots
750g of mixed raisins and currants

MIX
250g of mixed peel
2 x apples1 lemon zest and juice
1 orange zest and juice
5 x eggs150ml of dark rum

MIX
34 tbsp of treacle
4 tbsp of golden syrup
300ml stout (Guinness)1.

Add mix one and two together.
Then add in mix three.
Leave the pudding to stand for one week.
Add more spice if desired (to taste).
Steam for 6 hours then leave to cool.
Leave to mature for at least four months before serving.