Granny Martin's Christmas puddings

Granny Martin's Christmas puddings

Get a head start on Christmas with James Martin's make-ahead pudding

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes 2 puddings, each serving 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 6 hrs

plus overnight soaking

Method

  1. Soak the sultanas, currants, figs, mixed peel, cherries and the apricots in the brandy in a bowl overnight if possible or for at least a few hrs (if you don't have time for this, place the fruit in a microwaveable bowl with the brandy and give it a quick blast in the microwave to plump up). In a larger bowl, mix the ginger and syrup, apples, orange juice and zest, eggs, suet, crumbs, sugar and flour. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, mix in the soaked fruit and mixed spice.
  2. Butter 2 x 1.5-litre pudding basins and divide the mixture between them, filling almost to the rim. Smooth the tops and cover with 2 circles of greaseproof paper. Cover each pudding with a sheet of foil with a folded pleat down the centre, to allow the pudding to expand, and secure everything by tying it tightly with some string. Stand the puddings in a deep, large pan (or 2 if that's easier) on trivets or upturned saucers and pour boiling water around so it comes about a third of the way up. Cover the pan and steam the puddings for 5 hrs, topping up with more boiling water when necessary.
  3. Let the puddings cool down before removing the foil and greaseproof paper, then cover with cling film over the top and store in a cool, dry place if you aren't using them straight away. This is the time you can drizzle them with more booze in the run-up to Christmas if you have time. To reheat, steam the pudding for 1 hr more before turning out and flaming with hot brandy.

764 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 130g, fat 23 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 5g, sugar 101g, salt 0.81 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2009.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo shelleybobbins

    29 October 2009

    shelleybobbins commented on this recipe

    i live in australia and cant find suet in the shops, what can you use instead?

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  • Binder photo ChrisClarke

    12 November 2009

    ChrisClarke commented on this recipe

    Would love to rate and cook but I can't find 1.5 litre pudding basins either in shops or on line. Nearest 1.7 litre, but should I increase mis and cooking time.

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  • Binder photo NLWILLIAMSON

    13 November 2009

    NLWILLIAMSON rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Just cooking mine as we speak! Halved the recipe and had some mixture left over. Instead of throwing this away I filled a ramakin dish and baked in the oven at 170 c for 30 mins. Had a quick taste and its very fruity and still quite alcoholic. I'm sure that the 5 hour cook and the 2 month wait will make this a 5 star pud.

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  • Binder photo Lutravers

    18 November 2009

    Lutravers rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is an excellent pudding, much nicer than those almost black packed with raisin ones. It is light and fruity and you don't feel stuffed afterwards or the lingering bitter aftertaste that sometimes occurs. The recipe is nice and easy to follow and makes a couple of generous sized puds. I made a 2lb and two 1lb puds out of this but you'd easily get 2 2lb ones. We tasted one of the smaller ones after it had matured for only a couple of weeks and it tasted great, the other two are being kept for Christmas.

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  • Binder photo Maxine F

    19 November 2009

    Maxine F commented on this recipe

    Shelleybobbins - I bought Suet at Coles supermarket last Christmas

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  • Binder photo Janet

    19 November 2009

    Janet commented on this recipe

    Can you suggest a substitute for suet? thanks janet

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  • Binder photo jinjerine

    22 November 2009

    jinjerine commented on this recipe

    Will rate this once i have tried it. The puddings are cooking now. I also had trouble finding any pudding basin let alone a 1.5L! I found 2 1L basins at my grans house. The recipe has made 2 puddings and a bit left over that i put in a 0.5 l pyrex bowl. But in my opinion the 1l bowls are huge and will probably be too much for my partner and I. The other one im giving to my parents for christmas present. Lets hope they turn out okay

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  • Binder photo Julia

    23 November 2009

    Julia commented on this recipe

    I made these in the Aga, and they cooked overnight for 12 hours in the simmering oven. This made it extremely easy and you don't have to top up the water. They were a beautiful dark colour when I took them out (the longer you steam the darker the colour). The recipe makes x 2 2.2 pint bowls and then 1 smaller pudding. Can't wait to try them!

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  • Binder photo Kerry H

    13 December 2009

    Kerry H commented on this recipe

    i am definalty going to make this in the next few days. I saw Nigella make one the other day, and instead of using breadcrumbs, she used Jamacia Ginger cake, you get a nice amount of spice with it. I think i'll try it!!

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  • Binder photo Kerry H

    13 December 2009

    Kerry H commented on this recipe

    i am definalty going to make this in the next few days. I saw Nigella make one the other day, and instead of using breadcrumbs, she used Jamacia Ginger cake, you get a nice amount of spice with it. I think i'll try it!!

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  • Binder photo Nicky

    17 December 2009

    Nicky commented on this recipe

    My 2 daughters and I made 2 puddings out of this recipe at the end of November. The large pudding is being fed regularly with brandy but the small pudding only lasted until dinner when we ate it with ice cream and it was DELICIOUS!! Even my 3 1/2 year old who was a bit reluctant as she thought the figs that we chopped up into it looked like snails wanted more. Cant wait to eat the large one after xmas dinner with brandy sauce :o)

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  • Binder photo Sophie

    25 December 2009

    Sophie rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo patsbinder

    27 December 2009

    patsbinder rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Stela

    14 November 2010

    Stela rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fabulous recipe. I put double the amount of cherries as I love them but reduced the overall amount of mixed fruit. Just finished steaming mine. They smell divine. I don't think they will survive until Christmas and I can see myself making another batch (or two).

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  • Binder photo Mrs Jolly Jack Tar

    15 November 2010

    Mrs Jolly Jack Tar rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This recipe was absolutely delicious and not like some of the stodgy puddings I've had in the past. I made two and even kept one for a whole year until the following Christmas!

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  • Binder photo Top Cat

    16 November 2010

    Top Cat rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This took a long time to prepare and make, but the results were worth it! As Im a novice to this baking lark, I made a small one to test straight away and I was very pleased with it!. I'm not usually a huge fan of Christmas Pudding, but will definately be tucking into this one. Can't wait to put it on the table on Christmas Day!

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  • Binder photo Rainbow

    18 November 2010

    Rainbow rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this last year and I'm making it again this year. My family really enjoyed it. It's much lighter than most puddings.

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  • Binder photo Wurood

    02 December 2010

    Wurood commented on this recipe

    can u suggest a substitute for brandy. i live in a country where you cant buy alcohol and would like to try this recipe. it will be the first christmas pudding i make that is if i get to know the substitute.

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  • Binder photo Nicky

    11 December 2010

    Nicky commented on this recipe

    Made this last year and it was a real winner with my father in-law who hates xmas pudding, so much so he's asked for another this year! I have 7 of these in all different sizes maturing as we speak :o) Any tips on how to reheat this in a mirowave rather than re-steaming?

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  • Binder photo joefizz

    02 January 2011

    joefizz rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Simply outstanding! 10/10

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes 2 puddings, each serving 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 6 hrs

plus overnight soaking

Ingredients

  • 350g sultanas
  • 350g currants
  • 140g dried figs , chopped
  • 100g mixed peel
  • 85g glacé cherries , halved
  • 100g dried apricots , chopped
  • 150ml brandy
  • 100g stem ginger , chopped
  • plus 3 tbsp of the syrup
  • 2 apples , grated
  • juice and zest 2 oranges
  • 6 large eggs , beaten
  • 250g shredded suet
  • 250g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 350g light muscovado sugar
  • 175g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • butter , for greasing
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764 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 130g, fat 23 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 5g, sugar 101g, salt 0.81 g

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