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Classic Christmas pudding

Classic Christmas pudding

Dessert · British classic.

485 min1200 kcalserves 6

Ingredients

Method

  1. Prep and chop — Get everything for the pudding prepared. Chop the almonds coarsely.
  2. Prep and chop — Peel, core and chop the cooking apples. Sharpen your knife and chop the candied peel. (You can chop the almonds and apples in a food processor, but the peel must be done by hand.) Grate three quarters of the nutmeg (sounds a lot but it's correct).
  3. Mix together — Mix the almonds, apples, candied peel, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp brandy or cognac in a large bowl.
  4. Stir — Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate a quarter of it into the bowl, then stir everything together.
  5. Mix together — Repeat until all the butter is grated, then stir for 3-4 mins – the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir.
  6. Stir — Ask the family to stir too, and get everyone to make a wish.
  7. Continue cooking — Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each.
  8. Mix together — Pack in the pudding mixture. Cover with a double layer of baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion, then tie with string (keep the paper in place with a rubber band while tying).
  9. Continue cooking — Trim off any excess paper. Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top, then put another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make a double package (this makes the puddings watertight).
  10. Continue cooking — Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan.
  11. Continue cooking — Watch our video to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.
  12. Bring to a boil — Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary.

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