Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe Recipe

Once you've made a Christmas pudding from scratch you'll never go back to shop-bought. This recipe is deliciously fragrant with spices, dried fruits and nuts and makes the most beautiful Christmas centrepiece. Our Christmas pudding takes around four hours to steam, but it won't need much attention once it's in the pan - you'll just need to make sure the water doesn't dry out.

HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Ingredients

• 100g dried apricots, finely chopped
• 100g dried cranberries
• 200g sultanas, raisins or currants
• 100g prunes, finely chopped
• 75g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
• 50g luxury mixed candied peel, finely chopped
• 50g candied ginger, finely chopped
• 1 Bramley apple, coarsely grated
• zest 1 lemon
• zest and juice 1 orange
• 100ml rum, whisky, brandy or sweet sherry
• 75g unsalted butter
• 75g light muscovado sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 125g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 1tsp ground nutmeg
• 1tsp ground cinnamon

You will need:

• 1.2 litre pudding basin

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients up to and including the rum. Cover then leave to soak overnight.
2. Soften the butter, then beat it with the sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the egg, a little at a time, until combined. Fold in the soaked fruit and all the other remaining ingredients. Lightly butter the pudding basin and fill with the prepared mixture. Cover the surface with a disc of greaseproof paper, then with a double layer of buttered foil, making a pleat in the centre to allow for the pudding to rise. Tie string tightly around the basin rim to secure the foil.
3. Place in a saucepan, put an upturned saucer in the base and pour in enough water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the bowl. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 4 hours. Top up the water during cooking. Allow it to cool in the basin, then cover with greaseproof and clingfilm and chill in the fridge until needed. You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead.
4. To reheat the pudding on Christmas Day, cover with foil and steam for 1 hour 30 minutes. Alternatively, cover with clingfilm, pierce holes in the top and microwave on high for 5 minutes.