Classic Christmas pudding

Name: Classic Christmas pudding
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 7 h 55 min
Total time: 8 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 ¾ oz almonds; 2 bramley apples; 7 oz candied peel; 1 nutmeg; 2.2 lb raisins; 5 oz all-purpose flour; 3 ½ oz breadcrumbs; 3 ½ oz muscovado sugar; 3 eggs; 2 tbsp brandy; 9 oz butter

A weekend British dessert. Ready in about 8 hours. Difficulty: more effort.

5 minPrep (about)
7 hr 55 minCook (about)
8 hrTotal time
4Servings
More effortDifficulty

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Ingredients

How many people?

− 4 people +

Recipe makes 4

1 ¾ oz almonds
2 bramley apples
7 oz candied peel
2.2 lb raisins
5 oz all-purpose flour Shopping tip: All-purpose flour (UK: plain flour).
3 ½ oz breadcrumbs
3 ½ oz muscovado sugar Shopping tip: Dark brown sugar works (UK: muscovado).
3 eggs
2 tbsp brandy
9 oz butter

Spices & seasonings (1): nutmeg

1 nutmeg

How to make it

Steps in our own plain words.

Get everything for the pudding prepared.
Chop the almonds coarsely, peel, core.
Chop the cooking apples.
Sharpen your knife.
Chop the candied peel.
Grate three quarters of the nutmeg.
Mix the 2 tbsp brandy, eggs, light muscovado sugar, breadcrumbs, flour, raisins, nutmeg, candied peel, apples and almonds or cognac in a large bowl.
Holding your butter in its wrapper, grate quarter of it into the bowl.
Stir everything together.
Repeat until all the butter is grated.
Mix for 3-4 mins – the mix is ready when it subsides a bit after each stir.
Ask the family to mix too, plus get everyone to make a wish.
Butter two 5 cups bowls.
Put a circle of baking parchment in your bottom of each.
Pack in the pudding mixture.
Cover using double layer of baking, pleating it to let for expansion.
Tie with string.
Trim off any excess paper.
Stand every bowl on a large sheet of foil.
Bring the edges up over the top.
Put another sheet of foil over top.
Bring it down underneath to make double package.
Tie using more string, plus make handle for easy lifting in plus out of the pan.
Boil or oven steam your puddings for 8 hrs, topping up using water as necessary.
Remove from the pans.
Leave to cool overnight.
Wait until cold.
Discard your messy wrappings and re-wrap in string, foil and new baking parchment.
Store in a cool, dry place till Christmas.
To make your brandy butter, cream your butter using the orange zest and icing sugar.
Gradually beat in your brandy or cognac and chopped stem ginger.
Put in a little bowl, fork the top attractively.
Put in the fridge to set.
Your butter will keep for a week in your fridge, or it can be frozen.
Keep going for up to six weeks.
Boil or oven steam for 1 hr on Christmas Day, unwrap.
Turn out.
To flame, warm 3- tbsp brandy in a small pan.
Pour it over the pudding.
Set light to it.