I love Christmas pudding, I don’t know why its only a thing at Christmas time, if I could I would eat it year round.

My favourite way of serving it is warm with vanilla custard and cream, others like it with vanilla ice cream, brandy custard, brandy butter etc.

I steam mine now after I had a disaster while boiling in the cloth, (water got in and ruined it) I was devastated that I had to throw it out, wasting all the ingredients and time it took to make it. I have been cooking mine in the Slow Cooker for a few years now as I find that the water doesn’t evaporate, making the long cooking time stress free.

This recipe makes a large pudding my Nana made this every year for Christmas for her large family of 11 children. Christmas lunch could easily see 30-40 people sitting down excited to find our sixpence in the pudding which Nana would then buy back off us for next year.

Don’t be too fussed about the fruit combination so long as it all weighs the right amount, I don’t use dates in my pudding as some in our family don’t eat them, I just increase the amount of raisins and add a few extra sultanas and currants, or you could just use 1 1/2 kg of mixed fruit if you like.

Christmas Plum Pudding

Traditional Plum Pudding

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 6 30

Cooling 1 30

Total Time 8 30

Course Dessert

Ingredients

1 kg Mixed Fruit
250 gm Dates
250 gm Raisins
2 Cups Water
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
250 gm Butter
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Bicarb soda
3 Eggs
1/4 Cup Rum or Brandy
2 Cups Plain Flour
2 Cups Self Raising Flour
2 tsp Mixed Spice
1 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

In a large saucepan or boiler place roughly chopped fruits, water, sugars, salt and butter, stir over low heat until the butter melts, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and stir in the bicarb soda mixing well, allow to cool completely.
Combine the eggs with the rum or brandy, mixing well.
Add the egg mixture to the cooled fruit and mix until well combined.
Stir in the flours and spices mixing well until combined.

Boiled

Using a 75cm square of calico, boil for 30 minutes, wring water out and spread the cloth out, sprinkle with 1/2 cup flour leaving a boarder of 10 cm around the edges.
Spoon the pudding mixture in the middle of the cloth, bring the corners and edges of the cloth around the pudding mixture as evenly as possible.
Pull the corners tightly and firmly to give the pudding a good round shape.
Tie firmly with string about 2.5 cm above the top of the pudding mixture; this allows for expansion room during cooking, leaving a length of string to use as a handle to lift out the pudding when cooked.
3/4 fill a large boiler with water, with lid on bring to the boil, put the pudding in to the water (there must be enough water for the pudding to float) replace the lid and boil rapidly for 6 hours, replenishing the boiling water as needed.
THE WATER MUST NEVER GO OFF THE BOIL
At the end of cooking lift the pudding from the water and using the string suspend it from a cupboard handle, a clothes horse or the legs of an upturned stool. (the pudding must be able to swing freely without touching anything.
Let pudding hang overnight or until the cloth dries completely.
On the day of serving reboil 1 1/2 hours.

Steamed

Grease a 4 litre or 2 x 2 Litre pudding basin, covering the base of the basin with a disc of baking paper.
Fill the pudding mixture into basin/basins then place a pleated piece of baking paper on the top of mixture and using a double layer of foil place lid on firmly or tie foil tightly with string.
Placing an upturned saucer in the bottom of a large boiler bring water to boil and steam 6 hours for the large pudding or 5 hours for smaller, making sure water comes halfway up the sides of the pudding basin.
On the day of serving steam a further 1 1/2 hours or microwave on a low heat until heated through

Slow Cooker

Using the pudding basin method steam in a slow cooker with boiling water going half way up the sides of the basin, cook on high for 6 1/2 hours.
I remove my puddings from the basin when cold and wrap well in glad wrap place in a freezer bag and store in the refrigerator until needed.

Notes

Christmas pudding/Plum pudding keeps incredibly well I usually make mine in October or November and then store in the fridge, we have been known to use the second pudding at Easter or Christmas in July celebration.

Keyword Christmas, Plum Pudding, Pudding

Baking, Desserts

Plum Pudding