RecipesDesserts And Puddings

Christmas Pud Recipe

Christmas pudding is very traditional and can be made well in advance

Vegetarian
Christmas Pud Recipe
Print & share:
Print:

Ingredients

Traditional christmas pudding
  • 250g/9oz vegetarian suet
  • 350g/12oz organic sultanas
  • 350g/12oz organic raisins
  • 250g/8oz organic currants
  • 50g/2oz organic almonds
  • 100g/ 4oz organic mixed peel
  • 75g/3oz organic glace cherries, snipped with scissors
  • 75g/3oz organic crystallised or stem ginger, snipped with scissors
  • 350g/12oz Dark Muscovado sugar
  • 2 grated eating apples
  • 250g/9oz fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 175g/6oz plain flour, sieved
  • 1tsp Steenbergs organic Fairtrade mixed spice
  • 1tsp Steenbergs nutmeg powder
  • ½tsp fleur de sel
  • 6free-range organic eggs
  • Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
  • 1tsp Steenbergs natural almond extract
  • 150ml/¼ pint stout

We love Christmas pudding at the Steenbergs house, although it doesn’t tend to be finished on the day, it gets eaten over the next few days. The main debate is whether to have it with brandy butter or white sauce….

This recipe does 2 x 1.2 puddings, so if you want only the one pudding, simply halve the quantities. (So that’s one Christmas present done)

Method

01
Toast the almonds in an oven for 5 minutes or so. Mix all dry ingredients together. Beat the eggs; add lemon, orange, Steenbergs almond extract and stout. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in all other ingredients and stir thoroughly.
02
Now make a wish! Cover and leave somewhere cool overnight.
03
Turn into greased basins, cover with butter papers and a double layer of cloth. Sneak a silver coin into the mixture; I wrapped a cleaned 20p or 50p piece in some baking paper and pushed it into the mix. Tie securely with string going right round the bottom of the bowl to make a strong handle to lift the bowl.
04
Steam for about 7 hours.
05
On Christmas Day, steam again for about 1½ hours or until heated right through.
06
To flame the Christmas pudding, place the cooked pudding on a plate with a decent curve. Then warm 2 – 3 tablespoons of brandy or whisky (I use whisky) without boiling. Pour over the Christmas pudding then set alight with a match, being very careful not to set yourself alight!