The Ultimate Christmas Pudding Recipe

We have a baby on the way and nesting instincts arrive with little warning, my family being directed around like soldiers while I scour ebay for suitable changing tables/bags/baskets and cleanse the house with a frantic disposition.  Poor planning (or divine intervention) means due date is dangerously near Christmas and as such, the festive flourish needs to happen sooner rather than later.

High on the list was making the Christmas pudding. I know, I know, supermarkets make lovely versions that can be microwaved in four minutes and can sit in the cupboard until next year if not wanted… but a homemade version is something we’ve always done. Like never buying white sauce or low fat yoghurt. Just one of those things.

So here we are, my luxuriously laden version that I’m convinced is the best I’ve ever eaten. Steam tomorrow and it will be ready to be reheated for the giant lunch and served with brandy cream (shop bought, if you are interested). 

 

THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

SERVES 8-10

PREP TIME – 25 MINUTES

COOK TIME – 7 HOURS

INGREDIENTS

A little softened butter, for greasing

225g caster sugar

200g suet

300g currants

300g raisins

300g citrus peel

100g glace cherries

75g pistachios, roughly chopped

110g plain flour

110g fresh white breadcrumbs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. mixed spice

Zest from 1 lemon

5 eggs, lightly beaten

50ml whiskey

100ml Cointreau

FOR THE TOPPING

3 tbsp. apricot jam, melted

Zest of 1 clementine

A handful of toasted almonds, pecan nuts and glace cherries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lightly grease a 1.2 litre pudding basin with softened butter and cut a small circle of parchment to place in the base of the pudding bowl.

2. Combine the sugar, suet, currants, raisins, citrus peel, cherries, pistachio, plain flour, breadcrumbs, spices and lemon zest in a very large mixing bowl.

3. Add the eggs, whiskey and Cointreau and stir all the ingredients together until well distributed and spoon the wet mixture into the pudding basin, pressing the mixture down with the back of a spatula. Place a round of baking parchment over the top of the mixture and then wrap with a layer of foil so that the basin is watertight. Secure with string.

4. Either put the basin in the pan of boiling water, to come halfway up the sides or in the top of a lidded steamer and steam for 6 hours, checking every so often that the water is topped up.

5. Cool your pudding and store, re - wrapped in foil for 6 weeks, until the big Christmas day.

6. Once ready to re-heat, steam the wrapped pudding – still in it’s basin - for a further 3 hours. To serve, remove from the basin and brush with warmed apricot jam. Decorate with cherries, nuts and clementine and serve, with a side of ice cream. 

An image I took for Judes ice cream a few weeks ago, of said pudding!