Christmas pudding
Rich steamed fruit pudding for Christmas Day
The Christmas pudding is the dark, fruit-packed pudding that ends Christmas dinner in English homes, traditionally mixed on Stir-up Sunday in late November when every family member stirs and makes a wish. This one uses vegetarian suet and is soaked with brandy or stout, so it contains alcohol; for an alcohol-free pudding use the same amount of strong black tea or orange juice. It is set alight at the table with warmed brandy (skip that for alcohol-free) and served with brandy butter or custard. Chef's tip: steam it again for 2 hours on the day; the second steaming darkens and enriches it.
- Total time
- 520 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak the 1 ⅛ lb mixed raisins, sultanas and currants and 1 ¾ oz mixed peel in the ¾ cup brandy or stout (or strong tea for alcohol-free) with the 1 orange overnight.
720 minStep 2: Mix in the 1 cooking apple, 3 ½ oz vegetarian suet, 3 ½ oz fresh white breadcrumbs, 2 ⅝ oz self-raising flour, 5 ½ oz dark muscovado sugar, 2 tsp mixed spice, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp black treacle and 1 ¾ oz chopped almonds, and get everyone to stir and make a wish.
10 minStep 3: Pack into a greased 1.5 litre pudding basin. Cover with pleated baking paper and foil and tie tightly with string.
8 minStep 4: Set on a trivet in a large pan, pour boiling water a third of the way up, cover and steam for 6 hours, topping up with boiling water regularly. A common mistake is letting it boil dry, which scorches the pudding.
360 minStep 5: Cool, re-wrap in fresh paper and foil and store in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 2 months.
10 minStep 6: On the day, steam for 2 hours until piping hot all the way through, turn out and serve with custard or brandy butter.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does christmas pudding take?
- About 520 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 480 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of orange?
- Mandarins or clementines, same weight.
- What can I use instead of cooking apple?
- Pears, same amount.
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