Christmas Pudding Recipe
Our easy Christmas pudding recipe makes for a rich and glorious fruity dessert. It's a festive classic, perfect for delighting your friends and family.
Prep Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) good quality butter
- 1 heaped cup (200g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp mixed spice (see recipe notes if you don't have any)
- 2 cups (100g) fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 cup (150g) sultanas (golden raisins)
- 1 cup (150g) raisins (optional: soak raisins in brandy overnight)
- 1/2 cup (60g) Zante currants
- 1 small apple, peeled, cored and grated
- Finely grated rind of 1 orange (or lemon)
- Juice of 1 orange or lemon, made up to 150ml with brandy or rum
- Optional: 3 tbsp mixed candied peel, chopped
Method
STEP 1
Butter a 5 or 6 cup pudding basin or mould and line the bottom with a disc of parchment or waxed paper, and butter the paper.
STEP 2
Beat the suet/butter and sugar together until soft.
STEP 3
Add the flour, eggs and spice until mixed. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
STEP 4
Put the mixture into the buttered bowl and flatten the top.
STEP 5
Cut a disc of waxed or parchment paper the size of the top, butter it and place on top of the pudding mixture.
STEP 6
Tear a piece of parchment paper and aluminum foil, large enough to cover the top of the bowl, and go halfway down the sides, placing the foil on top of the parchment. Create a pleat down the center, so that the pudding will have space to expand when cooking.
STEP 7
Place the paper and foil over the pudding basin, then tie some string under the lip of the bowl, leaving extra string to tie over the top to form a handle, tying it on the opposite end. If you don't have a steamer, place a trivet in a pot and fill the water so that it's halfway up the bowl and use a tight-fitting lid.
STEP 8
Steam for 6 hours, checking the water level once an hour, and topping it up.
STEP 9
Once you've taken the bowl out of the pot, remove the aluminum foil and waxed/parchment paper, wipe the bowl and replace with clean paper. Store in a cool place.
STEP 10
To serve, steam for another two hours or microwave until piping hot. Let it stand for a few minutes before removing from the bowl. Place on a heatproof serving dish and douse with brandy. Carefully light the pudding in a safe area. When the flame extinguishes, cut and serve with brandy sauce or butter, whipped cream or custard.
Note:
If you don't have mixed spice, get the easy recipe to make your own (with spices you already have in your cabinet)
If you only have light brown sugar, add a tablespoon of treacle or molasses
You can use 1/4 cup (57g) butter and 1/4 cup (57g) real suet if you want to make the pudding more traditional and don't mind if it's not vegetarian.
