Try Simon Brown's Christmas pudding recipe

Hi everyone, I'm Simon Brown the guest expert for cook's essentials.

A delicious, homemade Christmas pudding is the best way to round off Christmas dinner, but only if you’ve remembered to leave enough room!

Nothing beats the magic of making your own and gathering the whole family around for a stir and a wish before gently steaming the pudding and then tucking it away for a few weeks to mature, ready for its flaming entrance on Christmas Day. 

Here’s my favourite recipe which makes a rich, scrumptious pudding...


Rich Christmas pudding 

Serves 8-10 (depending on how much turkey you’ve eaten beforehand!)

Ingredients

115g (4oz) shredded suet (vegetarian if preferred)
55g (2oz) self-raising flour
225g (8oz) soft dark brown sugar
115g (4oz) fresh breadcrumbs
1tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
225g (8oz) currants
175g (6oz) raisins
115g (4oz) sultanas
25g (1oz) mixed candied peel, chopped
25g (1oz) whole almonds, blanched (skinned) and chopped
1 cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 medium eggs, beaten
30ml (2tbsp) rum
150ml (¼ pint) stout or brown ale

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together the suet, flour, sugar, breadcrumbs and spices then stir in the dried fruit, mixed peel, almonds, apple, and orange and lemon zests. Once thoroughly mixed add the beaten eggs, rum and the stout or brown ale. Now stir everything together really thoroughly.

2. At this point, you need to call the family so that they can each take a turn in stirring and making a wish (the best bit!). Now leave the mixture in the covered bowl for a couple of hours (or even overnight) so that the fruit can plump up and the flavours can start to mingle.

3. When you’re ready to cook the pudding thoroughly, butter a 1.2 litre (2 pint) pudding basin and spoon in the pudding mixture, levelling the surface. Take a double sheet of greaseproof paper and place a sheet of foil on top. Grease the underside of the greaseproof paper, fold a 5cm (2") pleat across the centre so that the pudding has room to rise and place over the pudding basin, greased side down. Tie a long piece of string securely around the rim and then thread one of the ends across the pudding and under the string on the opposite rim and tie it off to form a handle.

3. Now lower the pudding into a steamer insert (like the cook’s essentials cookware set) or onto a trivet in the base of a pan with enough simmering water to come halfway up the basin - cover and steam gently for 8 hours. Keep an eye on the water and top it up with boiling water if necessary.

4. Once cooked allow the pudding to cool completely. Then remove and discard the foil and greaseproof paper and replace with a fresh greaseproof and foil cover, greased and tied in place as before. Store in a cool, dark place until Christmas Day.

5. To re-heat the pudding, steam for 2 hours (keeping an eye on the water as before) then remove the cover, turn out onto a warm plate and decorate with a sprig of holly. 

6. Now pour the brandy into a small pan and warm on the hob. Pour the warmed brandy over the pudding, carefully set it alight then serve immediately to a round of applause!

Keep checking on QGossip over the coming months for more Christmas recipes including how to cook the perfect crispy roast potatoes, and my Christmas questions and answers session!

Comments

[stephanie.]

Hi Simon,
Do you have a nice rich moist recipe for christmas cake ,as when i make one it is always dry .

many thanks stephanie.

[judy]

please send me recipe for xmas cake
thank you
judy

[sue]

hi my name is sue from northern ireland. i am haveing a big family gathering this year for xmas and want to makle my own xmas cake, but i always seem to make it to dry in the past, i was wondering if you would have any tips on how to make it moist and not dry as i hate dry xmas cake.

thank you for takeing time out to read this.

sue

[craig rowe]

Hi Simon!

Love it! I may even attempt to actually make one this year as I do love Christmas pudding. Trouble is its such a small gathering at Christmas for me this year so I could end up eating most of it!

See you for weekend Kitchen this weekend!
Craig (Rowe), your kitchen partner in crime!
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