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Stir-up traditional Christmas puddings

Published: 13 Jul 18
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Get the family involved and make these batch Christmas puddings together on Stir-Up Sunday (the last Sunday before Advent). The recipe makes two rich, flavoursome puds, each enough to serve eight to 10 people.

Left it a bit late for Stir-Up Sunday? Keep calm and check out our Last-minute Christmas pudding recipe instead.

Easy
December 2009

Test kitchen approved

Serves 10 (recipe makes two puddings, each to serve 8 to 10)
Takes 25 minutes to make, 6 hours to cook, plus resting overnight and reheating, if not eating immediately

Left it a bit late for Stir-Up Sunday? Keep calm and check out our Last-minute Christmas pudding recipe instead.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 403kcal
Fat: 14.3g (6.8g saturated)
Protein: 5.4g
Carbohydrates: 64.3g (44.6 sugar)
Salt: 0.5

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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

300g fresh white breadcrumbs
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 whole nutmeg, very finely grated
350g raisins
100g mixed peel
50g flaked almonds
250g suet
225g demerara sugar
225g sultanas
225g currants
2 carrots, peeled and very finely grated
2 cooking apples, peeled and very finely grated

Wet ingredients

Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 small wine glass of brandy
2 tbsp black treacle
4 eggs, lightly beaten

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Method

Put the breadcrumbs in the biggest mixing bowl you can find. Sieve the flour into the bowl with the mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then add the remaining dry ingredients, up to and including the grated apples.
Combine all the wet ingredients in a jug. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix together, from east to west, with a big wooden spoon. Take it in turns to give it a stir, closing your eyes and making a wish.
Cover the bowl with a clean, damp cloth and leave overnight.

Butter 2 x 1.2-litre pudding basins and spoon the mix into them. Place a disc of baking paper on top of the puddings, then seal with a big sheet of baking paper with a central pleat, to allow expansion. Cover with a cotton or muslin cloth and tie with string or foil. Steam for 6 hours in steamers, or in pans with simmering water that reaches two-thirds up the sides of the basins äóñ be sure to keep the water topped up. Remove and allow to cool.
When cool, re-cover the basins and store in a cool, dry place. On Christmas day, or the day youäó»re going to eat the puddings, steam for another 1-2 hours. Turn the pudding onto a plate, then pour 75ml of brandy into a ladle and carefully warm over a low heat for 1 minute or so. Light the brandy using a long match and tip over the pudding just before serving.