Christmas plum pudding
Why do we only eat Christmas pudding at Christmas?
This pudding can be made and eaten straight away, however the flavours will develop further if left for a few months. Tradition is to make them in November to eat on Christmas day, but who’s got time for that these days? We love this pudding so much at our house, sometimes I make it just because I can. After all, winter is the best time to eat a warm Christmas Pudding, not in the heat of our Australian Summer.
How to steaming Christmas puddings
The puddings photographed above were steamed off in my oven. I think I could probably fit 10 x 1 litre puddings in there at once (on 2 shelves). Before I got this oven, I use to make them one at a time in a steamer pot over the stove. The Thermomix is also a great tool for steaming, but my pudding dishes are too big to fit in the Varoma or the steamer basket. Of course, you could make individual ones and use your TM Varoma.
Here’s my recipe for a 1 litre mix. Multiply it by as many puddings as you want to make. I made 5 x 1 litre puddings when writing this recipe.
Christmas plum pudding
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becs-table.com.auEquipment
- This recipe needs to be steamed so you'll need a steaming bowl and something to steam it in. See my tips.
Ingredients
- 35 g glace cherries
- 70 g dates
- 130 g currants
- 130 g sultanas
- 70 g raisins
- 35 g mixed peel
- 5 g orange rind
- 5 ml orange juice
- ½ Granny Smith apple grated
- 15 g Grand Marnier
- 5 – 20 g brandy
- 60 g golden syrup
- 130 g unsalted butter
- 60 g caster sugar
- 10 g soft brown sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- 65 g soft breadcrumbs
- 95 g plain flour
- Pinch salt
- Pinch cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch mixed spice
- Pinch nutmeg
Instructions
- Wash all dried fruit and drain well
- Mix together all the dried fruit with the rind, juice, Grand Marnier, brandy, golden syrup and grated apple and set aside best if you can leave this overnight for the fruit to absorb the wonderful flavours
- Cream the butter, caster and soft brown sugar until light and fluffy
- Add in the eggs, one at a time (don’t panic if this seems to curdle it’s the number of eggs used)
- In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients and breadcrumbs
- Blend the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mix till fully incorporated.
- Add this mix to the dried fruit and stir to fully combine.
- Grease a pudding basin with melted butter
- Place a round of baking paper in the bottom of the mould to prevent sticking when turning out.
- Place the mix into a 1-litre pudding basin and seal.
- In a large pot pour enough water to come halfway up the sides of the basin and cover tightly.
- Bring to a rolling boil for around 4 hours.
- This is now ready to set aside for Christmas. Best practice is that on the day, you put the pudding back on to boil for 1 to 2 hours, serve with brandy custard, brandy butter, warming spice ice-cream whatever you like really.
- But if you’re desperate for a little rest, as I’ve been known to do by the time dessert needs to be dished up, warm it whatever way you wish. It’s been cooked through and it’ll be fine.
- And remember, it can be eaten any time of year 🙂
Notes
Place a clean 10c coin in the bottom of your large pot, add your pudding to the steamer section, pop the lid on, then start the steaming process. When the water starts to boil you’ll hear the coin bouncing on the bottom of the pot. When you can no longer hear the coin bouncing you know the water has run out and you need to top up.
Want to know more?
Here a are few more Christmas favourites. Christmas Cherry Stollen Slice and Honey Jumbles
Or, maybe you’d like to know more about our popular Bake Club Online. We even a Bake Club that is themed for Christmas Bake Club Online Season 4 (Xmas edition)
Thanks Bec for the tip on not opening the pudding mould. I used to make mum’s recipe in the cloth but switched to the mould a few years ago.
Hi Bec,
If this is made in November what is the best way to store until Christmas day.
Regards
Ann
Hey there! So, if you’ve gone ahead and made yourself a delicious pudding in a bowl, here’s a little tip for you: don’t take off the lid. Trust me, keeping that lid on is important because it stops oxygen from messing with your pudding and causing any problems. Just pop it in a cool, dark pantry and you’re good to reheat on the day.
Bec, have you made this Christmas pudding recipe into individual dariole moulds, to steam in the varoma. I do their recipe every year getting about 8 little pots into the varoma to stream. I’m wondering how long would you steam them for??? Roughly the time it takes to steam the thermomix ones I guess.
I better make up the mixture then divide into my pots and steam in the varoma and give it a go. I’m going to try your Christmas cake recipe also sounds delicious.
Thanks.
Hi Angela,
Yes, I’ve made this plum pudding recipe in all sorts of sizes. You should be fine with the same time as the Cookidoo ones. I would cover each of my dariole moulds with a folded baking paper square, use a rubber band to hold it down. Hope you know what I mean by that.