Mix 1 cup each:
Whole wheat flour;
raisins;
chopped almonds;
currants;
chopped apples;
chopped dried figs;
chopped dried prunes*;
chopped dates;
wheat germ;
honey.
Add:
2 eggs;
2/3 cup milk;
3 cups butter.
And 1 teaspoon each:
allspice;
cloves;
coriander;
cinnamon;
grated orange or lemon peel.
Pack loosley into wide-mouth jars within 1 inch of top. Screw tops on tight. Boil jars for 3 hours.
When you remove jars from canner or pot, the liquid in the jars will continue to boil for a while. Let them rest a bit until liquid is mostly re-absorbed into pudding. Then empty loose pudding into mold and press together. Cool. Pudding will set hard like fruit cake.
If you want flaming plum pudding, pour a little kirschwasser on the top just before serving; ignite. Insert sprig of holly leaves.
Warning: a little plum pudding goes a long way. Very rich. I usually make a double batch of plum pudding to make it worth the hassle, but this produces an enormous amount. I used six ball jars in a canner to cook a double recipe, then filled a tea ring plus three foil loaf pans. That's a lotta puddin'!
*Which is as close to actual plums as "plum" pudding gets.
