Granny Martin's Christmas puddings

Granny Martin's Christmas puddings

4.90909

(11 ratings)

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Cooking time

Prep: 45 mins Cook: 6 hrs Plus overnight soaking

Skill level

Moderately easy

Servings

Makes 2 puddings, each serving 6

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

Nutrition and extra info

Nutrition info

Nutrition

kcalories
764
protein
10g
carbs
130g
fat
23g
saturates
10g
fibre
5g
sugar
101g
salt
0.81g
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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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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.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2009

BBC GoodFood Magazine

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Comments

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zoethackrah's picture
zoethackrah09:02, 5th Jan, 2013

I've never made Christmas pudding before but I definitely will again. They were delicious and everyone very impressed. Thank you James you made me look like a domestic goddess!!!

scarsbrook6's picture
scarsbrook601:07, 29th Dec, 2012

Highly recommended! The first time i have made christmas puddings because i dont like them In fact I kept asking my daughter if it tasted like xmas pud as i loved the taste of this recipe as did my 81 year old Dad who usually hates it. I will probably reduce the quantities next year as made one large and two regular puds (too much for us). Thanks James I am sure this will become another traditional christmas recipe along with my Nan's sherry trifle and Nonna'ss ravioli in brodo

elaine57's picture
elaine5711:20, 31st Oct, 2012

You put the greaseproof paper inside the basin on top of the mixture.
Excellent recipe, this is my 3rd year, my family can't get enough of them.

gower7's picture
gower705:25, 3rd Oct, 2012

i am going to make these soon, do i cover just inside the basin with the greasproof paper or over the top?? with the foil, surley the foil wont expand if the paper over the top

susanep's picture
susanep06:13, 1st Dec, 2011
5

This will be the third year of making this pudding. It's delicious. My family always want seconds!!

jinjerine's picture
jinjerine02:25, 23rd Oct, 2011
5

I forgot to come back and rate this recipe, but made again last year and will be making this year. Really lovely light puddings. Not like the shop bought heavy rich ones. Very easy to make too. A must for Christmas!

bozzer's picture
bozzer08:56, 12th Sep, 2011
5

Made last year will definitely make again son that said he didn't like Christmas pudding wouldn't stop eating it

bozzer's picture
bozzer08:55, 12th Sep, 2011
5

Made last year will definitely make again son that said he didn't like Christmas pudding wouldn't stop eating it

nnw13100's picture
nnw1310006:54, 11th Dec, 2010

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?

wurood's picture
wurood05:28, 2nd Dec, 2010

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.

susanep's picture
susanep04:05, 18th Nov, 2010
5

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

tc1980's picture
tc198008:17, 16th Nov, 2010
5

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!

mrsjollyjacktar's picture
mrsjollyjacktar01:18, 15th Nov, 2010
5

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!

stelaholder's picture
stelaholder07:28, 14th Nov, 2010
5

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).

nnw13100's picture
nnw1310006:44, 17th Dec, 2009

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)

kerryh33's picture
kerryh3310:45, 13th Dec, 2009

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!!

kerryh33's picture
kerryh3310:45, 13th Dec, 2009

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!!

jubert's picture
jubert02:48, 23rd Nov, 2009

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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