The best Christmas pudding
A classic Christmas pudding recipe with dark, rich fruit and a hidden surprise. Quinces add a delicious fragrance if you can get hold of them.
Ingredients
- 350驳/12录辞锄 sultanas
- 350驳/12录辞锄 raisins or currants
- 150g/5录oz dried figs, chopped
- 125驳/4陆辞锄 candied peel
- 100驳/3陆辞锄 dried apricots
- 75g/2陆oz dark glac茅 cherries, halved
- 150ml/5fl oz brandy
- 100驳/3陆辞锄 ginger in syrup, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup
- 2 apples or quinces, grated
- 2 oranges, juice and zest
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 250g/8戮oz shredded suet
- 350驳/12录辞锄 soft muscovado sugar
- 250g/8戮oz fresh breadcrumbs
- 175驳/6录辞锄 self-raising flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 2 old sixpences or coins (optional)
Method
For this recipe you will need two 1.5 litre(2陆 pint) plastic pudding basins with lids.
Soak the sultanas, raisins, currants, figs, peel, apricots and cherries in the brandy overnight, giving it a good stir now and again.
The following day, in a large bowl mix the ginger, syrup, apples or quinces, orange juice and zest with the eggs, suet, sugar, crumbs and flour.
Stir in the soaked fruit and spice.
Grease the two pudding basins and divide the mix between them. Add coins now if using.
Cut two circles of greaseproof paper to cover the top of the pudding and fold a pleat down the centre to allow pudding to expand.
Put lids on the basins and steam puddings for 3陆 hours.
Let puddings cool before removing greaseproof paper and covering tightly with cling film and lid. The puddings can now be stored in a cool, dry place until Christmas.
To reheat, steam pudding for a further 3陆 hours, turn out and flame with brandy.
Recipe Tips
If you are making this as a dairy-free pudding, take care to ensure the breadcrumbs are dairy free. Although many breads contain dairy, free-from options are widely available - just check the label.
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