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Christmas Pudding 

I know that for a lot of people, making your own Christmas Pudding seems like an awful lot of effort, but this is one of the few tasks that I think is worth the effort. I have to admit that I don't even really care for the pudding (one small slice seems to go a long way), but the actual making is a lovely family tradition, it is a good antidote to the commercial build up of the big day and really does make me feel very Christmassy (although that could be the cooks brandy…) 

We use a recipe from Mums original Cordon Bleu cookery course, it has a few additions but follows the same pattern most years. I reread the original this year, and was surprised to find the original recipe required you pick over and wash all the dried fruit, blanch and sliver almonds and in some cases grate suet. Thankfully these tasks are a distant memory... 

We made about 6 puddings, I would recommend buying small china pudding bowls from somewhere like Lakeland and giving a few away - better than a foil wrapped Tesco number anyway. You will need a VERY big mixing bowl. Also, make sure you have enough big pans to boil them all in one go or you could be there for days. 

Here is the original recipe and method. 

  • 8oz self raising flour

  • 1tsp salt

  • ½ nutmeg (grated)

  • 1tsp mixed spice

  • 120z fresh white breadcrumbs

  • 12oz beef suet

  • 4oz demerara sugar

  • 1lb currants

  • 1lb sultanas

  • 2lb raisins

  • 4oz candied peel

  • 2 tablespoons almonds (blanched/shredded)

  • 1 bramley apple (large) peeled and grated

  • Rind/juice 1 orange

  • 6 eggs

  • ¼ pt Guinness

  • 4 medium or equivalent large/small pudding basins

 Mum always puts the dried fruit in a big bowl and feeds it brandy over a 24 hour period. 

  • Grease the bowls
  • Sift the flour and spices into a huge bowl, add all the dry ingredients (i.e. the fruit), the apple and ornate rind
  • Beat eggs till frothy and add the orange juice and stout – add this to the other ingredients
  • Stir really well
  • Put into bowls but not to top
  • Cover each with a round of greaseproof
  • Cover each with two layers of foil, tie under rim with string
  • Steam or boil for between 4 hours (small ones) to 6 hours (large ones) – make sure they never go off the boil
  • When cooked, remove from pans and cool
  • Take off foil and greaseproof and redo foil then tie with cloth
  • On Christmas day they will need a further 2 hours steaming/boiling
 

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