Traditional Christmas Pudding

Next Sunday is Stir-up Sunday, a centuries-old annual tradition where home-cooks spend the last Sunday before Advent 'stirring up' their Christmas pudding. Its not too late to shop for the ingreients for this glorious, rich, fruity British dessert 

For Christmas pudding traditionalists, this lighly spiced, fruity sponge will provide the perfect finish to your festive meal. The zesty fruit and nut mixture is soaked in brandy and orange liqueur ovenight, making it plump, juicy and full of flavour, before combining with the dry ingredients. You can then either steam the pudding in a pan or oven for several hours – trust us, it's worth the wait! After turning out, it can be kept for up to a year, before finally serving with our luxurious orange custard cream or vanilla custard or double cream.

175g each raisin, currants and sultanas
140g whole glacé cherry
50g mixed peel
50g whole blanched almond
zest 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated
150ml brandy
50ml/2fl oz orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
175g light muscovado sugar
175g fresh white breadcrumb
125g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
175g butter, frozen
2 eggs, beaten
butter, for greasing
holly sprig, to decorate

• Mix the fruit, almonds, citrus zests and the carrot with the brandy and orange liqueur in a large mixing bowl. 
• Cover and leave to soak overnight.
• Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add to the soaked fruit mixture. 
• Grate in the butter, then add the eggs and stir. Don’t forget to make a wish!
• Grease a 1.5-litre pudding basin with butter and line the base with greaseproof paper. 
• Spoon in the mixture, press down well and make a hollow with the back of the spoon in the centre. Cover the surface with a round of greaseproof paper, then cover the bowl with double-thickness greaseproof paper and foil and tie at the rim with string. 
• Lower the pudding into a pan with an upturned saucer in the base
• Fill with water until it comes halfway up the sides of the bowl. 
• Steam for 6 hrs, topping up with water as necessary.
• Alternatively, steam in the oven. 
• Stand the pudding basin in a roasting tin filled with water
• Cover with a tent of foil and cook for the same length of time at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. 
• Check roasting tin occasionally as the water may need to be topped up.
• To store, allow to cool, then store in a cool, dry cupboard. 
• The pudding will keep for up to a year.
• On the day, steam for 1 hr before turning out
• Decorate with holly and serving with extra-thick double cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Recipe: Good Food

Chocolate & Cherry Christmas Pudding

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

200g frozen dark sweet cherries defrosted, plus extra cherries, left whole, to decorate the pudding
1 Conference pear
100g raisins
100g sultanas
100ml brandy,  white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice
100g bar dark chocolate
100g unsalted butter, plus 2 tbsp for greasing
2 large eggs
50g plain flour
100g dark soft brown sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp cocoa powder
50g fresh breadcrumbs
For the chocolate brandy sauce100g bar dark chocolate
120ml double cream, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp golden syrup
3 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 or juice
• Stir well and cover with clingfilm.
• Heat in the microwave on high for 3 mins
• 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
• 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)
• 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
• 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

Recipe: BBC Good Food

The Royal Family Christmas Pudding

In honour of our dear Queen's passing, today Im sharing the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Pudding recipe

Christmas pudding is a quintessentially British treat, full of raisins, currants, and sultanas. On Nov 22, 2020, Queen Elizabeth II's official Instagram page shared Buckingham Palace's official Christmas pudding recipe. A British favorite for many during the holiday season, this dish is traditionally prepared on "Stir-Up Sunday," aka the Sunday before the Advent season, to be ready by Dec. 25.

250g raisins
250g currants
185g sultanas
150g mixed peel
250g suet or vegetarian suet
12g mixed spice
2 whole eggs
180g demerara sugar
275ml beer
40ml dark rum

• Combine all dry ingredients.
• Stir them up.
• Add the eggs and the liquid.
• Stir again.
• Grease your pudding basins.
• Press the cake mix into basins.
• Cover with a circle of parchment paper.
• Cover basins with a muslin or foil, and place puddings into a deep saucepan.
• Fill with water up to 3/4 of pudding basin height.
• Cover with foil.
• Once cooled, wrap puddings well and keep in a cool, dry and dark place until Christmas.
• On Christmas Day, reheat your pudding in a bain-marie for 3-4 hours.
• Remove from the basin using a rounded knife or palette knife
• Flip out onto a plate, garnish or flambé and serve with brandy sauce and cream.

Recipe: The Royal Family Instagram