Classic Christmas pudding

INGREDIENTS

• 50g blanched almonds
• 2 large Bramley cooking apples
• 200g box candied peel (in large pieces) or all citron if you can find it
• 1 whole nutmeg (you'll use three quarters of it)
• 1kg raisins
• 140g plain flour
• 100g soft fresh white breadcrumbs
• 100g light muscovado sugar , crumbled if it looks lumpy
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp brandy or cognac, plus extra to flame
• 250g packet butter , taken straight from the fridge
• 175g unsalted butter , softened
• grated zest of half an orange
• 5 tbsp icing sugar
• 4 tbsp brandy or cognac
• 2 pieces of stem ginger , finely chopped