Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe. An amazing Christmas pudding that is traditionally steamed, filled with fruit and spices.
Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe.
This steamed Christmas fruit pudding is a traditional recipe made by many of our ancestors.
Remembering my Grandmother steaming hers in cheesecloth material wrapped around the pudding.
Was my favorite and its time to carry on this tradition. This recipe does not have the fruit soak in brandy like others do, but its totally up to you how you would prefer it.
Below are some images of the ingredients to obtain.
Ingredients.
Mixed dried fruit such as raisins sultanas and currents.
The dried fruit will be soaked in water brought to the boil, and soaked overnight to soften them.
The next day you will mix the spices with the fruit, and then add the other ingredients such as flour sugar and zests and treacle and brandy. mixing all well. Leaving to stand a while for the spices to soak up the juice.
brown sugar and flour and an egg
Orange and lemon zest
A small amount of chocolate chopped. I also add some cherries as I love them pop in your mouth when you take a bite.
All these are mixed together well to form a good smooth mixture. Adding them to a glass or pyrex bowl. For the steaming in a pot.
Once that has been done then you secure the bowl with grease proof paper and bind it with elastic around the edge. After that you would cover with tin foil or aluminum oil. Tying the string around the foil to secure it and making a handle with the string in the manner below. (see the below image) This is for lifting it our of the steamer or the pot after it is steamed.
This will steam for at least 4 hours on medium simmer. Then its kept until Christmas and re steamed for a further 2 hours and served. (can be kept covered as above for 2 months)
All ready to decorate and serve with homemade brandy sauce if preferred. Or make custard sauce and cut and serve warm.
Am amazing traditional Christmas pudding sliced and served on Christmas day for dessert.
Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe. An amazing Christmas pudding that is traditionally steamed, filled with fruit and spices.
- Prep Time: 2 days
- Cook Time: 6 hrs
- Total Time: 2 days 6 hrs
- Yield: 10
- Category: puddings
- Method: steaming
Ingredients
140g Raisins
140g currents
170g sultanas
100g cherries
55g flaked almonds
200ml water
30g flour
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of mace
1/2 tsp of ginger
55g of breadcrumbs
85g of vegetable Suet or soft butter
40g of chocolate (Dark 70% grated)
1 cooking apple peeled and grated
85g of brown sugar
20g of chopped mixed peel
1 zest of a lemon
1 zest of a orange
1 Tablespoon of black treacle
3 Tablespoons of brandy
1 beaten egg
1tsp of butter
Instructions
Firstly place the sultanas and currents and raisins in a sauce pan with water and bring to boil, then turn of the stove. Set aside. Leave to soak overnight uncovered.
The next day sift the flour and spices in a bowl.
Add the breadcrumbs butter/suet grated chocolate and apple, sugar and zest of lemon and orange as well as the mixed peel and almonds.
Mix well with your hands to get rid of the lumps of butter and to make sure the mixture is totally blended.
Then stir in the mixed fruit that soaked overnight. (they would of plumped up) Next step is to stir in the bandy, treacle and the beaten egg.
Mix the mixture well and leave to stand a while or overnight if desired. This allows the spices to absorb.
(if you are placing a coin in then this is when you would stir it in with a wooden spoon. But make a wish )
Grease the pudding bowl with butter. Pour the pudding mixture into the bowl.
To prepare for the cooking you need to cut a circle of the bowl lid and leave a few inches around with the wax paper. (to be able to tie the paper around the bowl with elastic band) Leave a folded pleat in the middle to allow for steam to be released. Cover the bowl over the wax/grease proof paper with tin foil. The same size and tie it tightly with string.
Make a handle with the string over the top of the bowl to help with asserting the bowl in and out of the pot.
If using a steam pot then fill the bottom with about 1/8 th of water. allowing the steaming basket to sit just above the water level. Bring the water to boil then place the pudding bowl in the basket.
(if you do not have a steaming pot, then use a normal pot with a saucer placed upside down in the pot. Filling water to half way up the saucer. Bring the water to boil and place the pudding bowl on top of the saucer.) to steam.
Place the lid on and steam on a gentle simmer for 4 hours. Keep an eye on the water to make sure the pan does not boil dry, if needing top up with boiled kettle water.
In the steam pot the lid should fit tightly and then steam well. but keep an eye on the water level so that both or either do not boil dry.
After 4 hours lift the pudding out of the pan/pot keeping the sealed lids on. This way the pudding can keep and store well. (2 months)
On Christmas day steam the pudding in the same way for 2 hours, then serve.
Decorate with icing or brandy sauce or even serve with custard sauce.
Keywords: Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
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