Time to Get the Christmas Pudding Done!

I think the secret of a magical Christmas is respecting what everyone else wants to do. If someone wants to go off for a nap or to play football, let them. Don’t have too tight a rein. For me, the best present I could ever wish for is just having my family.

Mary Berry

Is it me… or… as the song goes, it’s beginning to look like Christmas!? All of a sudden, well, I say that however, as Halloween leaves the shops, Christmas rushes in and fills the shelves. I had a wander down Bond Street in the week and felt a warm glow as I looked at all the trees and decorations, whilst listening to Christmas songs leaking through open shop doors, yes, it IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I for one, am very happy about it so, all you people who are telling me… It’s too early… jog on and leave me with my warm Christmas glow!

Christmas for me has always and will always about family and friends, it’s about sharing what’s good in life and what better way to celebrate that philosophy than threw food!Back in 2021 I wrote about my favourite Christmas cake recipe from that national treasure of treasures Mary Berry, it’s still my joint favourite with the recipe from the voluptuous, Nigella Lawson!You can find my post, and Mary’s recipe here

So, a little late, I’ll be baking that later today or tomorrow! Along with my cake I’ll also be making my Christmas pud! There’s no joint favourite here, sorry Nigella but it’s Mary jingling all the way!

Mary Berry's Christmas pudding can be made three months in advance and then reheated on the day.

Traditionally people make Christmas pudding on Stir up Sunday. This lands on the last Sunday before advent. This year that would be November 26th however, Mary says this recipe can be made three months in advance if you want to get even further ahead. Making it earlier will give the pudding more time to mature in flavour.

Mary'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

Ingredients

For the pudding

450g/1lb dried mixed fruit (use a mixture of sultanas, raisins, and snipped apricots)
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 orange, finely grated rind and juice
3 tbsp brandy, sherry, or rum, plus extra for flaming
75g/3oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
100g/3½oz light muscovado sugar
2 free-range eggs
100g/4oz self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
40g/1½oz fresh white breadcrumbs
40g/1½oz whole shelled almonds, roughly chopped

For the brandy butter

100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened
225g/8oz icing sugar, sieved
3 tbsp brandy, rum or cognac

To serve

4 tbsp brandy or rum

Method

Measure the sultanas, raisins, apricots and apple into a bowl with the orange juice. Add the measured brandy (rum or sherry), stir and leave to marinate for about one hour.

Put the measured butter, sugar and grated orange rind into a large bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon or a hand-held whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the measured flour if the mixture starts to curdle.

Sift together the flour and mixed spice, then fold into the creamed mixture with the breadcrumbs and the nuts. Add the soaked dried fruits with their soaking liquid and stir well.

Generously butter a 1.4 litre/2½ pint pudding basin. Cut a small disc of foil or baking parchment and press into the base of the basin.

Spoon into the prepared pudding basin and press the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover the pudding with a layer of baking parchment paper and foil, both pleated across the middle to allow for expansion. Tie securely with string and trim off excess paper and foil with scissors.

To steam, put the pudding in the top of a steamer filled with simmering water, cover with a lid and steam for eight hours, topping up the water as necessary.

To boil the pudding, put a metal jam jar lid, or metal pan lid, into the base of a large pan to act as a trivet. Place a long, doubled strip of foil in the pan, between the trivet and the pudding basin, ensuring the ends of the strip reach up and hang over the edges of the pan. This will help you to lift the heavy pudding basin out of the pan of hot water when it has finished cooking.

Lower the pudding onto the trivet and pour in enough boiling water to come half way up the side of the bowl. Cover with a lid, bring the water back to the boil, then simmer for about seven hours, until the pudding is a glorious deep brown colour, topping up the water as necessary.

For the brandy butter, place the butter into a mixing bowl and cream with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy – or for speed use an electric hand-held mixer. Beat in the sieved icing sugar until smooth, then add brandy, rum or cognac, to taste. Spoon into a serving dish, cover and set aside in the fridge.

When cooked through, remove the pudding from the pan and cool completely. Discard the paper and foil and replace with fresh. Store in a cool, dry place for up to three months.

To serve, on Christmas Day, steam or boil the pudding for about two hours to reheat. Turn the pudding onto a serving plate. To flame, warm the brandy or rum in a small pan, pour it over the hot pudding and set light to it. Serve with brandy butter.

To be truthful, there are easier, less time consuming recipes out there but honestly, Mary’s pud is worth every minute and every ounce of love you put into it, go on, give it a go!!

What’s on this week?