To make the Christmas pudding, first I add soaked raisins, sugar, self-raising flour, breadcrumbs, allspice, margarine, rum, and some finely chopped dried figs to a mixing bowl. I don't have any of the latter, so I substitute in dried apricots, and – spurred on by this stroke of culinary genius – throw in a half-eaten packet of flaked almonds that was lying around in the cupboard.
