Classic Christmas pudding

Prepare

1. 🥄Get everything for the pudding prepared.
2. 🔥Chop the almonds coarsely.
3. 🧂Peel, core and chop the cooking apples.
4. 🍳Sharpen your knife and chop the candied peel.
5. 🫇(You can chop the almonds and apples in a food processor, but the peel must be done by hand.) Grate three quarters of the nutmeg (sounds a lot but it's correct).
6. 🍽️Mix the almonds, apples, candied peel, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp brandy or cognac in a large bowl.

Steps

1. 🔥Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate a quarter of it into the bowl, then stir everything together.

Prepare

1. 🧂Repeat until all the butter is grated, then stir for 3-4 mins – the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir.

Steps

1. 🍳Ask the family to stir too, and get everyone to make a wish.
2. 🫇Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each.

Prepare

1. 🫇Pack in the pudding mixture.

Steps

1. 🍽️Cover with a double layer of baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion,
2. 🌿then tie with string (keep the paper in place with a rubber band while tying).
3. ✨Trim off any excess paper.
4. 🥄Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top,
5. 🔥then put another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make a double package (this makes the puddings watertight).
6. 🧂Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan.
7. 🍳Watch our video to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.

Cook

1. 🌿Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary.

Steps

1. ✨Remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight.
2. 🥄When cold, discard the messy wrappings and re-wrap in new baking parchment, foil and string.
3. 🔥Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas.
4. 🧂To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and icing sugar.

Prepare

1. 🥄Gradually beat in the brandy or cognac and chopped stem ginger.

Steps

1. 🔥Put in a small bowl, fork the top attractively and put in the fridge to set.
2. 🧂The butter will keep for a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to six weeks.

Cook

1. 🧂On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hr.

Steps

1. 🍳Unwrap and turn out.
2. 🫇To flame, warm 3-4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set light to it.