Hands up who loves a Christmas pud? And who can leave it and leave it and leave it thank you very much, none of that for me….

In an age of chocolate caramel middle-melting puddings and pistachio and chilli cakes, the Christmas pudding isn’t exactly fashionable, but it is timeless. Love it or hate it, the good old Christmas pud is a traditional part of the Christmas feast, and most families will have one, or a variation of one, on the table on Christmas Day. So, if you’re yet to perfect your pud then here are our handy hints.

• Christmas Puddings are best made way in advance to let all the flavours come together, but if you’re yet to make yours then there’s still time for a great pudding.
• The Perfect Christmas Pudding is all about the texture – it should be dense and stodgy without being solid. Very heavy puddings can be made using breadcrumbs instead of flour but most recipes these days use flour. Using a touch of milk in the recipe will give a squidgy texture, as well as using good quality free range eggs.
• Many Christmas puds are flavoured with alcohol – rum, brandy, sherry, madeira or port have all been used. A great tip is to soak the dried fruit in the alcohol for a day or two, rather than just tipping the alcohol into the mixture – this makes the fruit extra rich and moist.
• When it comes to the fruit of a Christmas pudding then the sky’s the limit. There are recipes for pudding that include dried apricots, figs, prunes and cranberries as well as the traditional raisins, sultanas and mixed peel. Some people add fresh fruit like grated apple or indeed grated carrot to their puddings, although this can give a mushy texture. Some nuts also find their way into puddings sometimes – like almonds for example. This can add another dimension to the texture.
• For the fat component of a cake, which is vital to The Perfect Christmas Pudding’s final taste and texture, there are lots of choices. Traditionally lard is used, but this is no good if you’ve vegetarians around the Christmas table. You could also use vegetarian suet if you can find it, or butter.
• When it comes to adding sugar, there are loads of options – the traditional white sugar works well, as do the darker varieties. Treacle, syrup and honey can also be used.
• And don’t forget the spices – mixed spice is traditionally used, but cinnamon, cloves and a touch of ginger can be added instead. A bit of grated orange and lemon zest also gives a lovely fresh tang.

And if you want a recipe for The Perfect Christmas Pud… then here’s one of our favourites.

Ingredients

75g self raising flour, 75g brown breadcrumbs (fresh), 1 egg, 150g brown sugar,  1 tbsp treacle, 400g dried fruit, 50g candied peel, 50g chopped almonds, zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange (finely grated), 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice, 180ml sherry, 175ml dark stout, 50ml milk, 150g suet or grated butter.

Start by putting the sherry and dried fruit and peel in a large bowl. Give it a good stir and soak overnight.

Mix the breadcrumbs, flour, sugar and mixed spice in a bowl, then add the citrus zest, almonds and suet (or butter). Add the treacle, egg, stout and milk. Mix together well then add the fruit and sherry mixture.

Pour the mixture into a well greased pudding basin (you’ll need one that holds at least 1.5l). Cut a round of greaseproof paper to sit on the top then add the lid (or foil if your bowl doesn’t have a lid). Wrap everything in foil twice to make sure it’s water tight. You’ll need to steam it in a steamer for 4 hours (don’t forget to check the water level in the pan regularly and keep topping it up).

Your pudding is done! Keep it in a cool place until Christmas day when you’ll need to steam it again for an hour before serving. Traditionally, the Perfect Christmas Pudding is served with brandy butter, brandy sauce or a dollop of good old fashioned double cream.

Did you know…..

Everyone in the house should have a turn at stirring the perfect christmas pudding mixture. It should be stirred from east to west, while making a wish. Traditionally, it was common to add a silver coin to the mixture. Whoever had the coin in their slice of pudding got to keep it, and it was also a symbol of wealth in the coming year.

Image from wikicommons