6-minute Christmas pud

I know it's Christmas Eve, but with this recipe there's still time to make a fabulous homemade Christmas pudding. It couldn't be easier, and it will taste just as good as if you prepared it weeks ago. Best of all, it doesn't need cooking for hours, taking up space on the hob and making the kitchen steamy while you're trying to get the biggest feast of the year ready and on the table - it cooks in just six minutes on the microwave!

With huge thanks to my neighbour, Antonia, who originally gave me this recipe years ago when I was editor of BBC Easy Cook magazine. Our readers loved it back then, and I've been making it ever since.

6-minute Christmas pud

Grease a 1 pint (568ml) pudding basin. Stir together 35g plain flour, half a tbsp cocoa powder, 55g soft dark brown sugar, half tsp mixed spice, 55g shredded vegetarian suet, 175g mixed dried fruit (get Waitrose Vine Fruit Mix if you can as it's the juiciest around), 10g flaked almonds and the grated rind of half an orange. Lightly beat an egg with a fork, then stir in with the juice of half an orange, 4tbsp dark ale or Guinness, half tbsp black treacle and half a tbsp milk. Spoon into the basin, cover with cling film and pierce a hole in the lid, then stand on a plate and microwave on full power (100%) for 6 minutes. Stand for 5 mins, then turn out.

Serves 4

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