christmas pudding

A homemade Christmas pudding is easy to make, then it just needs time in the steamer to turn it into a glorious, rich, fruity dessert. A festive classic

Classic Christmas pudding

blanched almonds

apples

box candied peel(in large pieces)

nutmeg(you'll use three quarters of it)

1kg raisins

plain flour

soft fresh white breadcrumbs

light muscovado sugar,crumbled if it looks lumpy

eggs

brandy

packet butter,taken straight

unsalted butter,softened

orange

tbsp icing sugar

stem ginger,finely chopped

Get everything for the pudding prepared. Chop the almonds coarsely. 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).

Mix the almonds, apples, candied peel, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp brandy or cognac in a large bowl.

Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate a quarter of it into the bowl, then stir everything 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. Ask the family to stir too, and get everyone to make a wish.

Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each. 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). 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). Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan. Watch our <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/techniques/how-wrap-and-tie-steamed-pudding">video</a> to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.

Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary. Remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight. When cold, discard the messy wrappings and re-wrap in new baking parchment, foil and string. Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas.

To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and icing sugar. Gradually beat in the brandy or cognac and chopped stem ginger. Put in a small bowl, fork the top attractively and put in the fridge to set. The butter will keep for a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to six weeks.

On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hr. Unwrap and turn out. To flame, warm 3-4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set light to it.

Mary Berry's Christmas pudding recipe is loaded with fruit, peel and, of course, brandy. With an extra dollop of brandy butter on the side, this pudding will win over the harshest critics.

Equipment and preparation: You will need a 1.4 litre/2½ pint pudding basin

Mary Berry's Christmas pudding

450 grams/1lb dried mixed fruit (use a mixture of sultanas, raisins, and snipped apricots)

cooking apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

orange, finely grated rind and juice

tbsp brandy, sherry,

75 grams/3 ounces butter, softened,

100 grams/3½oz light muscovado sugar

free-range eggs

flour

tsp mixed spice

grams/1½oz breadcrumbs

grams/1½oz whole shelled almonds, roughly chopped

grams/3½oz unsalted butter, softened

225 grams/8 ounces icing sugar, sieved

tbsp brandy, rum

Making individual Christmas puddings is a clever idea and this recipe is perfect for that. Steamed in the Varoma, these puddings are moist and yummy!

Thermomix recipe: Thermomix Little Steamed Christmas Puds

oranges zest and juice

lemons, zest and juice

300 Grams Fruity Pear Mince

Grams

200 Grams mixed whole nuts

60 Grams brandy (optional)

Grams Unsalted Butter

60 Grams dark brown sugar

Grams treacle

Grams Plain Flour

Teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamon

Chocolate

Dariole moulds for steaming

water

Zest the citrus fruit finely and place into the Thermomix bowl. Juice the citrus.

Add juice, fruit mince, all fruit, nuts and brandy into the Thermomix bowl and mix **2 min/70ºC/Reverse/speed 1**. Set aside, cover and leave overnight, stirring occasionally.

Place butter, sugar and treacle into the Thermomix bowl and beat **30 sec/speed 4** until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary.

Add eggs, flour and spices and mix well **20 sec/speed 5**.

Add brandied fruit and nuts and chocolate to the Thermomix bowl and mix **20 sec/Reverse/speed 4**.

Spoon into dariole moulds or ramekins and place in Varoma dish and tray.

Pour the boiling water into the Thermomix bowl and set Varoma into position. Steam **40-45 min/Varoma/speed 1-2**.

Remove puddings from moulds and serve with cream, ice cream, custard or Brandy Cream Sauce.

This recipe makes approximately 18 little puddings so they may need to be steamed in more than one batch.They freeze well and can be reheated in the Varoma for around 15 minutes/Varoma/speed 1-2.

Rich, dark and spicy - prepare enough mixture for two basins, one for Christmas day and the other to give as a gift

Guinness, treacle & ginger pudding

mixed dried fruit

stoned date

stem ginger

oranges

Guinness

butter

whole almond

suet

dark muscovado sugar

tbsp black treacle

self-raising flour

soft white breadcrumb

ground almond

tbsp mixed spice

ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

brandy (optional)

Mix together the dried fruit, ginger, orange zest and juice, and Guinness in a bowl. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

Grease 2 x 1.2-litre pudding basins. Boil a kettle of water. To prepare your steamers, put a snug-fitting upturned bowl or plate in the base of 2 large, deep saucepans, big enough to hold your pudding basins. Add the remaining ingredients (except brandy) to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of flour. Divide between your prepared basins and cover with buttered baking parchment and a foil lid. Tie with string to secure and make a handle for easy lifting.

Stand the puddings on the upturned bowls or plates in your saucepans. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basins, cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 6 hrs, topping up with water if necessary. If your lids start to rattle as the puddings cook, place a couple of heavy cans on top to hold them down. Once cooked, the puddings can mature for up to 1 year in a cool dark place, so if you only eat one this year, that’s fine.

To serve, reheat in a steamer for 1 hr until piping hot all the way through. Flame with brandy, if you like, as you bring it to the table.

One of the most traditional British Christmas recipes.

Traditional British Christmas Pudding (a Make Ahead, Fruit and Brandy Filled, Steamed Dessert)

oz (1/4 c) good quality butter

oz (1/4 c) suet (use 2 more ounces of butter if you want to make this vegetarian)

sugar

oz (1/2 cup) all purpose flour

tsp baking powder

oz (2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs

oz (1 cup) sultanas (golden raisins)

oz (1/2 cup) Zante currants

peeled,

orange (or lemon)

juice of one fresh orange

Butter the pudding bowl and line the bottom...

Butter the pudding bowl and line the bottom with a disc of parchment or waxed paper, and butter the paper, too.

Beat the suet/butter and sugar together until soft.

Then add the flour, eggs, and spices until...

Then add the flour, eggs, and spices until mixed. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Put the mixture into the buttered bowl and...

Put the mixture into the buttered bowl and flatten the top.

Cut a disc of waxed or parchment paper...

Cut a disc of waxed or parchment paper the size of the top, butter it and place on top of the pudding mixture.

Tear a piece of parchment paper and aluminum...

Tear a piece of parchment paper and aluminum foil, large enough to cover the top of the bowl, and go halfway down the sides, and place the foil on top of the parchment. Create a pleat down the center, so that the pudding will have space to expand when cooking.

Place the paper and foil over the pudding...

Place the paper and foil over the pudding basin, then tie some string under the lip of the bowl, leaving extra string to tie over the top to form a handle, tying it on the opposite end. If you don't have a steamer, like me, place a trivet in a pot and fill the water so that it's halfway up the bowl and use a tight fitting lid.

Steam for 6 hours, checking the water level...

Steam for 6 hours, checking the water level once an hour or so, and topping it up.

Once you've taken the bowl out of the...

Once you've taken the bowl out of the pot, remove the aluminum foil and waxed/parchment paper, wipe the bowl and replace with clean paper. Store in a cool place.

To serve: you can steam it for another...

To serve: you can steam it for another two hours, OR simply microwave it for a few minutes until it's piping hot! Let stand for a few minutes before removing from the bowl. Place on a heatproof serving dish and douse with brandy. Carefully light the pudding (please do this in a safe area), then when the flame extinguishes, cut and serve with brandy sauce or butter, whipped cream, or custard.

Add a little salt to your homemade caramel sauce before pouring liberally on sponge puddings, ice cream and any sweet treat you fancy

Salted caramel sauce

light soft brown sugar

double cream

salt

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan set over a low heat, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up and bubble the sauce for 2-3 mins until golden and syrupy. Leave to cool for 10 mins before serving. Can be made up to 3 days in advance and chilled – gently reheat to serve.

This lighter version of the classic Christmas pud is still full of festive flavours - citrus zest and brandy are added to this nutty spiced fruitcake

Cherry pecan Christmas pudding

pot glacé cherries

mixed peel

carrot

lemon

light muscovado sugar

Disaronno

butter butter

blanched almond, half of each chopped

pecan nuts, half of each chopped

fresh white breadcrumbs

golden syrup

holly

Put the mixed fruit, halved glacé cherries, mixed peel, carrot, and lemon and orange zest in a bowl with the sugar and spice. Pour in the lemon juice and alcohol, and stir really well. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and put a full kettle of water on to boil. Grease a 1.5-litre pudding basin and put a disc of baking parchment in the base. Stir the eggs into the fruit mixture, then stir in the chopped nuts, flour and breadcrumbs. Finally, grate in the frozen butter, stirring the mixture frequently so that it evenly disperses.

For the topping, mix the soft butter and golden syrup together, and spread over the bottom of the basin. Pile in the whole cherries, orange segments and whole nuts, breaking the pecans in half as you add them. Try not to just make a thick layer of fruit and nuts on the base – ease some up the side too. Spoon in the pudding mixture and level the top, then cover with baking parchment and foil. Tie the top with string or an extra-large rubber band, then place in a roasting tin and pour in the water from the kettle. Cover the whole thing with a tent of foil to seal in all the steam, then place in the oven for 6 hrs. This gives a light pudding, so if you prefer a darker one, cook for up to 8 hrs. Will keep in the fridge for 1 month. If you want it to last longer, omit the orange segments.

To serve, steam in a large pan with an upturned saucer on the base for 2 hrs, then turn out and decorate with holly, if you like. Serve with Brandy syrup cream (see 'Goes well with').

A twist on the classic Christmas pudding, our cherry version is served with silky dark chocolate, a rich brandy sauce and a dollop of double cream

Chocolate & cherry Christmas pudding

frozen dark sweet cherries

Conference pear

raisins

sultanas

bar dark chocolate

unsalted butter

dark soft brown sugar

cocoa powder

breadcrumbs

milliliters double cream

tbsp brandy (optional)

Drain the cherries in a sieve over a bowl. Cut them in half. Peel the pear, then grate it coarsely.

In a large bowl, combine the cherries, pear, the raisins, sultanas and brandy. Stir well and cover with clingfilm.

Heat in the microwave on high for 3 mins, then leave to cool for 5 mins to let the fruit plump up. Break the chocolate into squares while you wait.

Tip the chocolate and butter into the hot fruit. Stir, then leave to melt. Let it cool, uncovered, for about 15 mins.

Meanwhile, rub 1 tbsp butter around the inside of a 1-litre pudding basin.

Lay two sheets of foil over each other and butter the one on top. Holding both sheets together, fold a 3cm pleat across the middle of the foil and set aside.

Beat the eggs together in a small bowl. Sift the flour, sugar, mixed spice and cocoa powder on top of the chocolatey fruit, then add the breadcrumbs, eggs and ¼ tsp salt.

Stir everything together with a wooden spoon – it will be quite a wet mixture. Tip it into the buttered basin.

Cover the pudding with the buttered foil (buttery-side down), and scrunch it over the edge of the basin. Tie string tightly under the lip of the basin, and make a string handle to help you lower the basin in and out of the saucepan later.

Trim the foil so that a frill of about 5cm is left sticking out, then tuck the frill up and under itself neatly. The aim is to keep the pudding watertight beneath.

Put a heatproof saucer into the very large saucepan, then put the basin on top. Pour in just-boiled water to come halfway up the basin.

Cover the pan and steam the pudding for 2½ hrs. Test the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil – if there is any wet mixture, steam for 15 mins more then check again.The pan should be simmering rather than boiling hard. Top up the water levels as it cooks, if you need to.

To store, let the pudding cool and leave in a cool dark place to mature. Don’t unwrap the foil. You can make this pudding up to two months before eating.

To reheat, steam in a pan for 30 mins, or microwave on medium for 5 mins. Remove the foil to microwave, covering with clingfilm instead.

For the sauce, break the chocolate into squares. Put all the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently, stirring, until smooth. Serve the pudding topped with any remaining cherries, the sauce and a dollop of double cream.

It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...until you realised that you forgot to make a pudding this year. No need to opt for store-bought; this easy version can be knocked up in as little as three hours.

The night before Christmas pudding that'll fool them all

boysenberries & redcurrants

dark chocolate, chopped

(60 milliliters) maple syrup

milliliters pure (thin) cream

store-bought madeira or sponge cake, crumbled

dark chocolate, melted, cooled

tbs cocoa

unsalted butter, melted, cooled

(125 milliliters) sherry

cinnamon & nutmeg

allspice & ground cloves

http://resources.newscdn.com.au/cs/video/vjs/stable/build/index.html?id=5348771529001-5981863323001&=domain=del

5348771529001-5981863323001

Switch up your traditional Christmas pudding with this sticky toffee version. It's a great modern twist on the classic festive dessert

Christmas sticky toffee pudding

dates, pitted and finely chopped

golden rum

butter, softened,

eggs,

½ tsp mixed spice

cinnamon

milk

vanilla custard cream,

tbsp treacle

Put the dates, raisins, rum and 100ml water in a small saucepan and set over a low heat until steaming, about 5 mins (or do this in the microwave). Leave to cool.

Top 15 christmas pudding recipes from across the web

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Top 15 christmas pudding recipes from across the web

The most viewed christmas pudding recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Classic Christmas pudding

Mary Berry's Christmas pudding

Thermomix recipe: Thermomix Little ...

Guinness, treacle & ginger pudding

Traditional British Christmas Puddi...

Salted caramel sauce

Cherry pecan Christmas pudding

Chocolate & cherry Christmas puddin...

The night before Christmas pudding ...

Christmas sticky toffee pudding

Boiled Christmas Pudding

Easy Christmas pudding trifle

Mini Christmas pudding chocolate je...

The best Christmas pudding

Last minute Christmas pudding

The most viewed christmas pudding recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine