First up, heavily grease a 800ml pudding bowl with butter. Pop the dates and nuts into a food processor and pulse until they are roughly chopped. 

Grab a large mixing bowl, pop in the chopped ingredients and the rest of the ingredients. Mix together until well combined with a wooden spoon.   

Pour the mixture you’re your greased mixing pudding bowl and press down the mixture to create an even surface. 

Pop a large deep saucepan on the stove and bring to the boil.

Create a greaseproof disc the same diameter as the pudding bowl and place
over the top of the pudding pressing lightly. Cover with two pieces of tinfoil creating a tight lid effect. Using some string tie it around the bowl to create a tight seal and a handle.

Using the string handle lower the pudding into a boiling pan of water on the heat and reduce to a simmer, the bowl should be submerged by half in the water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 4 hours 30 minutes.

When the pudding has finished steaming remove the bowl from the pan and remove the string, foil and greaseproof. Leave your pudding to cool for a few minutes before turning out on to plate or board. Alternatively you can leave in the pudding bowl
and reheat again before serving. 

When you are ready to serve your Christmas pudding heat a couple of
measures of brandy in a sauce pan, light the heated brandy with a match, let it
flame and then carefully pour over your Christmas pudding. You can also serve your pudding with custard or brandy sauce.