Matthew's Journal

atreic and I made our Christmas puddings for the year today. The last couple of years' have turned out really well, so I thought I'd share the recipe (since at least one person has asked about it). You want to make them about this time of year (or maybe a little earlier), and "water" with brandy every month or so until Christmas. IMAO, the result is much nicer than anything you'll buy in Tesco.

This makes 2 puddings (each about 2 pints / 1kg) which will comfortably feed 4 people with leftovers, or one giant pudding of doom ;) A pudding basin with a sealing lid makes the process easier.

225g seedless raisins
225g currants
225g sultanas
75g chopped mixed candied peel
zest of 1 lemon (use the rest of the lemon to put into G&T, or something ;)
225g white breadcrumbs
75g plain white flour
1/2tsp ground mixed spice
1/4tsp salt
225g shredded suet. I use vegetable suet, but beef suet problably works fine, too
225g soft light brown sugar (muscovado)
4 large eggs
100ml dark rum
100ml milk

1. Grease your pudding basin(s), and line the base with baking paper.


2. Put the raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, flour, mixed spice, salt, suet, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix it up a bit.


3. In another bowl, beat the eggs, and whisk in the rum and milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients, and watch in awe as the whole lot contracts. Mix thoroughly.


4. Spoon into basin(s). Press down well. Cover with a disk of baking paper.
   
5. If you've got a sealing lid, put that on. Otherwise, cover the top of the basin with greasproof paper, and foil on top of that, pleat it to form a bit of a peak on top, and secure with string. Next year, get a basin with a lid ;)


6. Put the basin(s) into a saucepan (or 2, if necessary), fill the pan(s) with boiling water to about halfway up the basin. Cover tightly, and boil gently for 5 hours, topping up with water if necessary. An electric steamer does the job nicely, too.


7. Once cool, put fresh paper+foil on (or, err, leave the lid on ;)


8. Water with brandy every 3 weeks or so. You don't want to soak it, but make sure you don't just dampen the top


9. Come Christmas, steam as above for 2 hours.


10. Turn out onto plate. Remember to remove little greaseproof paper disk. Warm some brandy (4tbsp or so) in a pan, pour over pudding and set on fire :-)


11. Once flames have finished, serve with brandy butter or custard