I was writing next month's recipe for www.whyorganic.org which is an alternative to Christmas Pud and then I thought I ought to give you several other options, so here they are (we'll be having the "Light" Pud - it's very fruity and will be served with a good rum butter with a nod to my Caribbean ancestry)

Sepiasarahjerseytea

♪♫♪ “Now bring us some Figgy Pudding…” ♪♫♪

225g / 8oz dried figs

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

100g / 4oz breadcrumbs

100g / 4oz suet

100g / 4oz plain flour

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp baking powder

75g / 3oz dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tbs milk

Chop the figs and place in a bowl with the lemon rind and juice. Mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the figs, eggs and milk and beat well. Well grease a pudding basin. Fill. Cover with a pleated sheet of greaseproof and foil. Tie with string and boil for 3 hours. Freeze this pudding to keep till Christmas.

Christmas Pudding

100g/ 4oz suet

100g / 4oz self raising flour

100g / 4oz breadcrumbs

100g / 4oz currants

150g / 6oz sultanas

150g / 6oz raisins

100g / 4oz dark brown sugar

3 eggs, beaten in a cup

grated rind & juice 1 orange

grated rind & juice 1 lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

2 tbs rum

50g / 2oz mixed peel

50g / 2oz glace cherries

1 grated carrot

1 grated apple

Mix everything together very well. Fill a well greased pudding basin. Cover with pleated greaseproof paper and foil and tie down with string. Boil for 6 hours. Cool. Recover and store in a cold place until Christmas. Reboil 2 hours.

Light Christmas Pudding

100g / 4 oz dried apricots, chopped

100g / 4oz dried papaya, chopped

100g / 4oz dried tropical mix

50g / 2oz crystallised stem ginger

50g / 2oz mixed peel

75g / 3oz walnuts

100g / 4oz golden sultanas

1 grated apple

1 grated carrot

2 eggs

100g / 4oz sugar

50g / 2oz melted margarine

100g / 4oz breadcrumbs

50g / 2oz self raising flour

2 tbs rum

rind and juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp ground mace

Mix everything together and pile into a well greased pudding basin. Cover with pleated greaseproof and foil. Tie down with string. Boil 3 hours. Cool, recover and store in a cold place. Reboil 2 hours on Christmas Day.