Christmas Pudding
Christmas Pudding with dried fruit, citrus, chopped nuts, and brandy, is a festive treat that will fill your home with a spicy and fruity holiday aroma as it slowly steams on the stove. Slice and serve all winter long with holiday cocktails or hot cocoa.
Servings 8 servings (1 pudding)
Calories 570kcal
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 1-quart pudding mold or bowl
- Large Pot
- Steamer or steamer basket
- Parchment paper
- Foil
- Cooking twine
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, golden raisins/sultanas, etc.) (180g)
- ½ cup chopped candied orange or lemon peel (80g)
- 1 small apple peeled, cored, and grated
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup brandy* (120ml)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter* plus more for greasing
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1½ cups plain breadcrumbs* (180g)
- ½ cup finely chopped almonds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (220g)
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dried fruit, candied peel, apple, and orange and lemon zests. Measure ½ cup of brandy and add enough orange and lemon juice to equal ¾ cup. Add to the fruit and stir to combine. Cover and let soak for 3 hours or ideally overnight.
- When ready to assemble and cook, place the butter in the freezer. Generously butter a 1-quart (1.2-liter/4-pint) pudding mold or heat-proof bowl. Place a small round of parchment paper in the bottom of the bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, bread crumbs, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and baking powder. Grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture and toss to coat in flour and distribute throughout the mixture.
- To the soaked fruit mixture, add the brown sugar and eggs and stir until combined. Add to the flour mixture and stir until very well combined. (It’s going to be thick, so get the family involved and pass the bowl around!)
- Transfer the batter to the pudding mold and press down into an even, nicely packed layer using the back of a spoon.
- Make a pleated fold in a sheet of parchment paper and a sheet of foil. Cover the top of the bowl with the pleated parchment paper then cover with the foil.
- Wrap cooking twine around the foil and rim of the bowl a few times to tightly seal the paper and foil. Trim off the excess paper and foil. Then run the twine over the top and under the bottom of the bowl, twice, then around the rim again and tie to secure. (This will become a handle for removing the pudding, so make sure it’s secure.)
- Set a large steamer or pot with a steamer basket in the bottom on the stove. Place the pudding in the steamer. (Make sure there is at least an inch or two between the top of the pudding and the pot so that steam circulates well.) Carefully fill the pot with enough water to come about an inch up the side of the pudding mold, but not close to touching the paper and foil lid. Turn on to medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam for 7 hours. Check the water level frequently and add more when needed, and try to keep the water from boiling in the pot. A soft, occasional simmer is fine.
- Carefully remove the pudding from the steamer. If serving that day, let the pudding sit for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the twine, foil, and paper, place a serving plate on top of the mold and invert the pudding. Let the bowl stay on top of the pudding until ready to serve.
- If storing for later, leave wrapped and set aside to cool completely. Then, remove the original twine, paper, and foil and replace them with new sheets and twine. Store in a cool dark place until ready to use. Before serving, steam again for 1 hour, then remove the wrapping and invert onto a serving plate.
Video
Notes
- Soak the fruit mixture with the brandy overnight. To allow time for the flavors to combine and the fruit to rehydrate, soak the dried fruit, candied peel, apple, and orange and lemon zests with brandy and orange or lemon juice overnight. The fruit will have time to plump, making for the moistest cake, and you’ll be able to get the pudding steaming earlier in the day.
- Consider the shape of your bowl. Make sure your bowl or mold has a lip on the outside. This will help secure the foil covering when steaming. If you plan to display your Christmas pudding as a centerpiece, select a bowl or round pudding mold that has a shape you love since the pudding will mold into the shape of the bowl that it is cooked in.
- Grease the pudding bowl well. To prevent the pudding from sticking to the pudding bowl, grease it very well using room temperature or softened butter. For easy removal from the bowl, add a round of greaseproof paper to the bottom as well.
- Take turns stirring the batter together. The batter will be very thick when the fruit mixture and dry ingredients are combined. Pass the bowl around to take turns, or have someone hold the bold while you stir. Traditionally, this was a way to involve the family in the process of making the pudding, and it’s still a great way to get everyone together in the kitchen!
- Pleat the aluminum foil and parchment paper and secure well. The pleat will allow for the pudding to expand and steam without the foil breaking and helps the paper and foil to more easily wrap around the curved edges of the pudding bowl. Cover the top of the bowl with the pleated parchment paper, then cover it with the foil. Wrap cooking twine around the foil and under the rim of the bowl a few times to tightly seal the paper and foil.
- Make a twine handle. After securing the foil, use additional twine to make a strong handle by running it over the top and under the bottom of the bowl twice and then around the rim. A strong handle will be used to remove the pudding from the water.
- Monitor the water level as the pudding steams. Take a peek inside the steaming pot regularly to make sure that there is enough water and that it is not boiling. A soft simmer is okay.
- Add a silver coin for a new holiday tradition. Historically Christmas pudding included a silver coin or silver sixpence in the batter when served on Christmas day. Tradition says that family members take turns stirring the batter, and the one who is served the silver coin in their pudding slice will have good luck in the year ahead.
Nutrition
Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 3mg