Despite reports that the traditional Christmas pudding has fallen out of favor for lighter, healthier, desserts. it is as popular as it ever was. The pudding is best made well in advance by several weeks to allow it to mature. Traditionally the Christmas Pudding is made on 'Stir it up Sunday' the Sunday before Advent around the end of November... read more
Prep Time: 2 hours, oo minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours, 00 minutes
Ingredients:
- Serves 8 – 10
- 1lb /450g dried mixed fruit (use golden raisins/sultanas*, raisins, currants)
- 1 oz /25 g mixed candied peel, finely chopped
- 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
- Grated zest and juice ½ large orange and ½ lemon
- 4 tbsps brandy, plus a little extra for soaking at the end
- 2 oz /55 g self-raising flour, sifted
- 1 level tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 oz /110 g shredded suet, beef or vegetarian
- 4oz /110g soft, dark brown sugar
- 4 oz /110 g white fresh bread crumbs
- 1 oz /25 g whole shelled almonds, roughly chopped
- 2 large free-range eggs
Preparation:
- Lightly butter a 2 ½ pint (1.4 liter) pudding basin.
- Place the dried fruits, candied peel, apple, orange and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate for a couple of hours preferably overnight.
- Stir together the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon in a very large mixing bowl. Add the suet, sugar, lemon and orange zest, bread crumbs and nuts and stir again until all the ingredients are well mixed. Finally add the marinaded dried fruits and stir again.
- Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl then stir quickly into the dry ingredients. The mixture should have a fairly soft consistency.
- Now is the time to gather the family to take turns in stirring, making a wish and adding a few coins.
- Spoon the mixture in to the greased pudding basin, gently pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, then a layer of aluminum foil and tie securely with string.
- Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently so it never boils dry. The pudding should be a deep brown color when cooked.
- Remove the pudding from the steamer, cool completely. Remove the paper, prick the pudding with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and retie with string. Store in a cool dry place until Christmas day.
- On Christmas day reheat the pudding by steaming again for about an hour. Serve with Brandy Sauce, Brandy Butter or custard. Left over Christmas pudding can be reheated by wrapping tightly in aluminum foil and heating through in a hot oven .
* Sultanas are different to raisins, see the difference in the glossary
