I love making the Christmas pudding, and look forward to smelling it as it steams on the cooker, though the condensation on my windows was always a problem. Not any more though as this year I used the Everhot oven steaming method and it was amazing. I used the same recipe I have used for years from Delia’s Christmas. Every time I try something new the results were never as good.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
- 110g shredded suet (you can use veggie suet)
- 50g self-raising flour, sifted
- 110g white breadcrumbs
- 1 level tsp ground mixed spice
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of cinnamon
- 225g soft dark brown sugar
- 110g sultanas
- 110g raisins
- 275g currants
- 25g mixed candied peel, chopped
- 25g almonds, skinned and chopped
- 1 small cooking apple, cored and chopped finely
- zest of ½ large orange
- zest of ½ large lemon
- 2 large eggs
- 75ml barley wine
- 75ml stout
- 2 tbsp rum
You also need a 2 pint pudding bowl or two 1 pint bowls, greased.
Method
- Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding. Get a large bowl and put in the suet, sifted flour, breadcrumbs, spices and sugar.
- Mix the ingredients together thoroughly and then add the dried fruits, mixed peel and nuts. Next add the apple and orange and lemon zest.
- In a smaller bowl measure in the barley wine, rum and stout and then add the eggs and beat throughly together.
- Pour the liquid ingredients over the other ingredients and stir really well with a wooden spoon. The mixture should be fairly sloppy and fall off your wooden spoon if you gently tap it.If it seems a little dry add a dash more stout.
- Now cover the bowl and leave overnight for the magic to happen as the flavours infuse.
- Next day spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding bowl ensuring it is compact. Cover with a double sheet of greaseproof paper and tie to secure. Then cover with a sheet of foil. You can also make a handle from string to make it easier to remove from the pan later.
- Place in a pan with a little water in the bottom (about an inch or so) and secure with a tight lid. Heat gently on the simmer plate until the water begins to steam and simmer for five minutes.
- Next place the sealed pan into the bottom oven at 100ºC and leave for 8 hours. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until completely cold. Remove the foil and paper. Cover again with fresh baking paper, again making a string handle to make moving it easier. Place in a cool, dark place until you are ready to cook.
- On Christmas day, place the pudding in a pan with about an inch of water, cover with a good fitting lid and bring to a simmer (as above) until steaming and steam for five minutes before moving to the bottom oven at 100ºC. A good tip is to put the pudding on once Christmas dinner is ready to eat. Steam for around 1.5 hours and serve with brandy butter or cream.