Recipes

Traditional Christmas Pudding

 

You will need ...

100g/4 oz butter, melted
150g/5 oz fresh breadcrumbs
75g/3 oz self-raising white flour
225g/8 oz raisins
225g/8 oz sultanas
50g/2 oz mixed peel, chopped
100g/ 4 oz soft brown sugar
50g/ 2 oz almonds or walnuts, chopped
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 small carrot, grated
3 eggs, beaten
125ml/ ¼ pint stout
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Preparation and cooking ...

  1. Butter a 1.25 lr / 2 ½ pint pudding bowl.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and breadcrumbs together, stir in all the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and allow the mixture to stand for one hour.
  3. Put into pudding bowl, cover with greaseproof paper, leaving a pleated fold in the centre of the greaseproof to enable pudding to expand slightly when cooking. Tie securely underneath the rim of the bowl with string to prevent water or steam entering the pudding.
  4. Half fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Place pudding bowl in boiling water, cover saucepan and steam for 5 hours. Top up saucepan with boiling water when necessary.
  5. Remove greaseproof paper and allow the pudding to go completely cold.
  6. Store either in the pudding bowl by using a new greaseproof cover, or remove from the bowl and rewrap in greaseproof and kitchen foil. Store in a cool dry place until needed.

To reheat, steam for 2-3 hours before serving.

Oven method

1. Prepare the pudding up to step 4.
2. Stand the pudding bowl in a deep roasting tin and ¾ fill with boiling water.
3. Completely cover the roasting tin with kitchen foil in order to keep in the steam.
4. Cook in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 150°C, 300°F, or Gas Mark 2 for approximately 8 hours. It may be necessary to top up the water during the cooking time.
5. Allow the pudding to cool. When cold, store as above.

Pressure cooker method

When using a pressure cooker, follow manufacturer’s instructions and steam for approximately 2 hours. Before serving, reheat for approximately 15 minutes.

To serve

Serve hot with lightly whipped cream or Brandy Cream.

 

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