Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
- Cook Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, and currants)
- 2 oz (50g) mixed candied peel, finely chopped
- 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored, and grated
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 4 tablespoons brandy (plus extra for feeding)
- 4 oz (110g) shredded suet (beef or vegetarian)
- 4 oz (110g) soft brown sugar
- 4 oz (110g) fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 oz (50g) self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried fruits, candied peel, grated apple, orange zest, lemon zest, orange juice, and brandy. Stir everything together thoroughly, cover the bowl with a clean cloth, and let it soak overnight. This allows the fruit to plump up and absorb the aromatic flavors.
- The following day, add the suet, brown sugar, fresh breadcrumbs, self-raising flour, mixed spice, and nutmeg to the soaked fruit mixture. Use a large wooden spoon to stir the ingredients until they are well combined.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the bowl. Stir the mixture vigorously. This is the traditional time to have family members make a wish while they help stir. The batter should have a “dropping consistency,” meaning it falls slowly off the spoon when tapped.
- Lightly grease a 1.2-liter (2-pint) pudding basin with butter. Spoon the mixture into the basin, pressing it down firmly with the back of a spoon to remove air pockets. Level the top of the mixture.
- Cover the basin with a layer of greaseproof paper, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Create a pleat in the middle of both layers to allow the pudding room to expand. Tie a piece of kitchen string tightly around the rim of the basin to secure the covers, and create a handle with the string for easy lifting.
- Place the basin in a large pot with a steamer insert or on a small upturned saucer. Fill the pot with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam on low heat for 8 hours. Check the water level every hour and top it up with boiling water as needed to ensure it doesn’t boil dry.
- Once steamed, carefully remove the basin from the pot and let it cool completely. Remove the damp covers and replace them with fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Store the pudding in a cool, dark, dry place until Christmas Day.