XMAS FRUIT DUFF ( PUDDING )

Place 2 kg mix of dried fruit / glaced cherries / crushed mixed nuts ...in a bowl and pour over 1 cup of apera to soak . Cream 500gm of marg / butter with 3 cups of soft brown sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer . Mix until light and fluffy . Then beat in 10 eggs , a couple at a time ( make sure they are lightly beaten before adding). Mixed in 5 cups of plain flour mixed with 20 gm of mixed spice into the mixture and then fold in the fruit and nut mixture . boil a square metre of bleached calico then spread out on a bench and sprinkle well with flour ...( you do this because the flour creates a coating to the plum duff ) . Now pour the pudding mixture into the centre of the calico , now tie cloth securely allowing some room the duff to grow . Place your duff in a large pot on an upturned saucer or side plate and fill half way up the side of the duff and bring to the boil for 2 hours and simmer for 2 hours , you will need yo keep topping up the water . Drain water off when cooked and let the duff cooker in the cooker . Remove and let the duff dry completely. You can hang the duff but this one is very weighty , I put mine on a wire rack to cool completely , removed the calico and wrapped it in aluminium foil ( over and around ) and placed it in the refrigerator until it is required on Xmas day . When i will place the wrapped duff on an up turned saucer in the soup pot and fill fill 1/2 way up the duff with boiling water and let simmer for 1 hour before removing and uncovering the wrapping and serving with custard ... Keep the remaining fruit duff in a sealed container and serve with sliced butter over the remaining Xmas period . You can also divide the fruit duff mixture and divide the batter between smaller basins , covering with layers of foil....boil / steam as directed . this way you will be able to share fruit duffs as gifts to family and friends . Fruit duffs keep for up to 12 months in the freezer and prove a great dessert throughout the year.