Christmas Pudding
Traditional festive pudding made with dried fruits, suet, breadcrumbs, and spices, slowly steamed and then stored to mature.
Ingredients
Suet (chopped)
6 oz (180 g) or 10 oz (300 g)
Flour
2 oz (60 g) or 4 oz (120 g)
Breadcrumbs
12 oz (360 g) or 6 oz (180 g)
Seedless raisins
8 oz (240 g)
Currants (seedless)
4-8 oz (120-240 g)
Sultanas
8-10 oz (240-300 g)
Chopped candied peel
2-4 oz (60-120 g)
Brown sugar
6-8 oz (180-240 g)
Treacle
1-1.5 oz (30-45 g)
Mixed spice
1/4 oz (7.5 g)
Salt
2 level tsp
Eggs
5-8 oz (150-240 g)
Lemon (zest and juice)
1
Orange (zest and juice)
1
Stout beer
2.5 oz (75 g)
Milk
1 oz (30 g)
Figs (optional, chopped)
2 oz (60 g)
Water (for cooking figs)
1 oz (30 g)
Ground almonds (optional)
1.5 oz (45 g)
Instructions
1
Prepare the dry ingredients
Chop the suet (or use ready-chopped suet) and mix with the breadcrumbs. Combine the dried fruit, sugar, and candied peel from part C evenly, then make a well in the centre.
2
Prepare the wet ingredients
Whisk together the eggs, mixed spice, salt, lemon and orange zest and juice, stout beer, and milk until smooth. If using figs, chop them and boil with the water down to a thick paste, then stir into the liquid.
3
Combine
Pour the wet mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and stir until a uniform batter forms. The mixture can be left to rest for a day before being moulded.
4
Fill the mould
Fill a greased pudding basin to the top with the batter. Cover with two layers of greaseproof paper, then a cloth, and tie it securely.
5
Steam or boil
Boil, or preferably steam: 1 lb pudding for 4 hours, 2 lb for 6 hours, and 4 lb for 8 hours. Do not stop the heat partway through.
6
Cool and store
Remove the pudding from the heat immediately once cooked, untie the cloth, and pat dry. Once cooled, remove the cloth but keep the paper lid, re-tie with a clean cloth, and store in a cool, dry place.
7
Reheat before serving
Steam again for 1 hour before serving (large puddings need 2 hours). Serve with sprigs of holly and a rum or brandy sauce.
