Traditional Christmas Pudding
intro
A rich, spiced, fruit-packed steamed British dessert, traditionally matured for weeks before Christmas, served with brandy butter for a cozy festive treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Combine fruit and dry goods
In a large mixing bowl, add 450g mixed dried fruit, 75g candied mixed citrus peel, 110g stale white breadcrumbs, 55g plain flour, 110g shredded suet, 110g dark brown soft sugar, 1 tsp ground mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 5g orange zest, and 3g lemon zest. Stir thoroughly for 2 minutes until all ingredients are evenly distributed, with no visible clumps of suet or concentrated spice patches.
Mix in wet ingredients
Create a shallow well in the center of the dry ingredient mixture, then pour in 1 beaten large egg, 150ml whole milk, and 75ml brandy. Stir steadily for 3 minutes until the mixture forms a thick, sticky, evenly moistened batter that holds its shape when pressed lightly with the back of a spoon. Cover the bowl with a clean cotton tea towel and let it rest at room temperature (18-20°C) for 12 hours (or overnight) to allow the dried fruit to fully absorb the liquid and spice flavors.
Prep and fill basin
Grease the interior of a 1.2L (2 pint) heatproof stoneware pudding basin thoroughly with 1 tbsp softened unsalted butter, then line the flat base with a 7cm diameter circle of parchment paper. Spoon the rested pudding mixture into the basin, pressing it down firmly with the back of a spoon to eliminate trapped air pockets, leaving a 2cm gap at the top to allow space for the pudding to expand during steaming.
Seal basin for steaming
Cut a 22cm diameter circle of baking parchment and a matching 22cm circle of aluminum foil, each sized to extend 10cm past the rim of the 1.2L basin. Fold a 3cm wide pleat down the center of both stacked layers (parchment on the bottom, foil on top) to allow for pudding expansion, then set the layers over the basin top. Tie tightly around the basin rim with heavy kitchen string, and loop a length of string across the top to create a sturdy handle for lifting the hot basin.
Complete initial steam
Set a metal trivet or upturned 15cm small plate at the bottom of a large stock pot, then place the sealed pudding basin on the trivet. Pour boiling water into the pot until the water level reaches halfway up the sides of the basin. Bring the water to a gentle, steady simmer over medium-low heat (no rolling boil), then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the pudding for 8 full hours, checking the water level every 45 minutes and topping up with freshly boiled water as needed to prevent the pot from boiling dry.
Cool and mature pudding
After 8 hours of steaming, carefully lift the pudding basin out of the pot using the string handle, and set it on a wire cooling rack to come fully to room temperature (approximately 2 hours). Remove the used parchment and foil covering, prick the top surface of the pudding all over with a thin metal skewer (10-12 pokes, 5cm deep), and pour 1 tbsp of brandy evenly over the top. Re-cover with fresh pleated parchment and foil, tie securely, and store in a cool (10-15°C), dark cupboard for 2-4 weeks to mature, feeding with an additional 1 tbsp brandy once per week if desired.
Re-steam and serve
On the day of serving, return the sealed pudding basin to the stock pot set on a trivet, and steam for a further 2 hours over medium-low heat, maintaining a gentle simmer and topping up water levels as needed. Once heated through, remove the coverings, run a knife around the edge of the basin, and turn the pudding out onto a warm ceramic serving plate. For a festive flourish, warm 2 tbsp brandy, pour it over the pudding, and carefully light it at the table to flambé, then serve slices with brandy butter or vanilla custard.
Tips
2.For a vegetarian version, simply swap traditional beef suet for vegetable suet (made from hardened vegetable oil); it performs identically in the recipe and produces an equally rich, moist crumb.
3.While you can serve the pudding immediately after the initial 8-hour steam, maturing it for at least 2 weeks allows the spices and fruit flavors to deepen and meld, creating the signature complex, rich taste of traditional Christmas pudding.
OMG, I made this for our extended family Christmas dinner last year and everyone begged for the recipe! I let it mature for 3 full weeks and the depth of flavor was unreal. My kids loved it even though they usually turn their nose up at 'old fashioned' desserts – they went back for seconds, doused in hard sauce of course. SO good, it’s officially a non-negotiable holiday staple for us now!
Really solid recipe! I only steamed mine for 8 hours total because I was crunched for time, and it was still tasty, but I could tell the texture was a little denser than the photos. I’m planning another batch this weekend to give as neighbor gifts and I’ll do the full 10 hour steam this time, plus let it sit for 2 weeks to mature. Fingers crossed it’s perfect!
Game changer. I grew up eating those store-bought Christmas puddings that taste like stale fruitcake and I had no idea homemade could be this good. Brought it to my office holiday potluck and the whole platter was gone in 10 minutes. Already got three texts from coworkers asking for the link. 10/10, no notes.
I’ve been making my mom’s Christmas pudding recipe for 40 years and decided to give this one a try this year to mix things up. Wow! The ratio of dried fruit to spice is exactly what I’ve been trying to nail for decades. My granddaughter who has celiac swapped a small portion with gluten free flour for her serving and said it was the best holiday dessert she’s ever had.
Tasted great, but man, 10 hours of steaming? I didn’t realize I’d have to babysit the pot all day to make sure the water didn’t boil dry. I almost burned the first batch because I ran out to grab eggnog and came back to the pot almost empty. Definitely set a timer to top up the water every 45 minutes if you make this!
This was my first ever time making Christmas pudding as a new wife hosting my in-laws for the holidays, and I was so nervous it would flop! I followed the directions exactly, let it mature for 4 weeks, and my mother in law said it was better than the one her own mom used to make. I’m calling that a massive win. Will be making this every single year from now on!
Love this base recipe! I added a little extra dark rum and a handful of chopped candied ginger to my batch and it is *chef’s kiss*. I’m planning to flame it tableside on Christmas Eve for the whole family, I know the kids are gonna lose their minds when they see the blue fire.
Just pulled my second batch out of the steamer an hour ago to start maturing for Christmas! The test batch I made last month was so good my wife made me make a second one to bring to her family’s gathering in Michigan. Quick question: how often should I feed it brandy while it’s maturing?
I made this for my dorm holiday party even though I only have a tiny little countertop steamer, and it was a hit! I split the batter into two smaller puddings so they’d fit, steamed them for 5 hours each, and even let them mature for 2 weeks in my mini fridge wrapped in plastic. Everyone thought I bought it from a fancy bakery. SO stoked with how it turned out!
Full transparency: I have hated every fruitcake/Christmas pudding I’ve ever tried in my 52 years of life. My wife made this recipe and forced me to try a bite, and I ate two full slices. The flavors are so much brighter and less cloyingly sweet than the grocery store versions, and the texture isn’t that weird gummy mess I’m used to. Consider me a convert.
This is such a great make-ahead recipe! I love that I can make it a month ahead of Christmas and not have to stress about dessert on the actual day. I did find that my first batch was a little heavy on the nutmeg for my taste, so I cut it back by half on my second go-round and it was perfect for my family’s preference.
Wait, quick dumb question – do I have to use a traditional pudding basin for this? I only have glass mixing bowls, will those work okay for the long steaming time? I don’t want to shatter a bowl mid-steam and ruin my dessert!
I brought this pudding to my church’s holiday bake sale last weekend and people were bidding on it during the silent auction! Ended up selling for $45! Everyone who got a taste came up to ask for the recipe, I told them it’s the best traditional Christmas pudding recipe online, no contest. Already planning three more batches for Christmas day dinner with all the grandkids.