Christmas Pudding
Traditional Christmas Pudding
Making your now Christmas pudding is a lovely tradition (and a great lockdown activity if you've never done it before!!) But I warn you, it's a bit of a faff!! So make sure you get organised with all your ingredients beforehand, and then stick on some tunes and embrace the fact that you'll be in the kitchen for a while!
I've given the ingredients quantities in two columns - the second column is for if you're making a larger pudding (or two smaller ones).
|
ngredients |
1 ltr/2lb pudding (serves 6-8) |
2 ltr/4lb pudding (serves 12-16) |
|
Pitted prunes |
100 g |
200 g |
|
Sultanas or raisins |
130 g |
260 g |
|
Dried fig or dates, diced |
50 g |
100 g |
|
Dried cranberries |
25 g |
50 g |
|
Dried apricots, diced |
50 g |
100 g |
|
Mixed peel |
25 g |
50 g |
|
zest and juice of large orange |
½ |
1 |
|
Guinness |
100ml |
200 ml |
|
Brandy |
30ml |
60 ml |
|
Peeled and Grated carrot |
25 g |
50 g |
|
Peeled and grated bramley apple |
60 g |
125 g |
|
Fresh breadcrumbs |
50 g |
100 g |
|
Self raising flour |
50 g |
100 g |
|
Eggs |
1 large |
2 large |
|
Vegetarian suet |
30 g |
60 g |
|
Soft light brown sugar (or dark) |
90 g |
180 g |
|
Ground mixed spice |
½ teaspoon |
1 teaspoon |
|
Chopped almonds |
30 g |
60 g |
|
Ground cloves |
1/8 teaspoon |
¼ teaspoon |
|
Ground cinnamon |
¼ teaspoon |
½ teaspoon |
|
You’ll also need: an oven-proof pudding bowl, Parchment paper, foil and string |
||
Method:
- First put all the dried fruit, fruit juice, zest, brandy and Guinness in a saucepan and cook very gently over a low heat for 10 minutes until the fruit has plumped up. Transfer to another bowl to cool.
- Peel and grate the apple and carrot, and add them to the cooked fruit.
- Measure all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs to the cooled fruit, and then combine all the ingredients together.
- Tip into a pudding basin and cover with the lid. If basin doesn’t have a lid, place a disc of parchment paper directly onto the pudding, and then wrap another larger piece of paper over the basin (making a pleat in the paper so it has room to expand). Finally cover it with foil, scrunching the foil to hold down the paper.
- Place the pudding in a tray half filled with hot water and cook for 1.5 hrs at 130 degrees C. You will need to check it regularly and add a little more water if it has evaporated. For a smaller 1lb (1/2 l) pudding reduce the cooking time to 1 hour. When done the pudding should be cooked through and have risen to feel firm and springy.
- Allow the pudding to cool completely and wrap with foil or cling film so that it is airtight. Store in a cool dry place for up to 3 months.
- To serve, reheat in the microwave, or ideally by steaming gently in a pan of water with a lid on for approx 1 hr (2 lb pudding) or 45 minutes (1 lb pudding).
- Serve with double cream, brandy butter, or custard.