Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
A rich and spiced British Christmas pudding studded with dried fruits and steamed to tender perfection.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded suet
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3.5 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, candied peel, apricots)
Wet Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 0.5 cup milk
- 0.25 cup brandy or dark rum
Instructions
Method
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp salt.
- Add 1 cup shredded suet, 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, 1 cup dark brown sugar, and 3½ cups mixed dried fruits, stirring until evenly coated.
- In a separate bowl, beat 4 large eggs with ½ cup milk and ¼ cup brandy, then fold into the dry mix until glossy.
- Spoon into a buttered 2-quart pudding basin, cover tightly with parchment and foil, and steam over simmering water for 4 hours, replenishing water as needed.
Notes
I learned that wrapping the pudding basin in both parchment and heavy foil prevents the top from getting soggy and yields a glossy surface.
Tossing the dried fruits in a tablespoon of flour before mixing helps them stay suspended throughout the pudding.
This pudding stores beautifully: refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months, then re-steam for 1½ hours before serving.