Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
Traditional Christmas Pudding
Submitted By: Tracy M.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Raisins
5 oz Cognac + more to light the pudding at service
½ Cup Butter - softened + more for buttering the mold
1 Cup [Heaping] Muscovado Sugar- can substitute dark brown sugar if desired
½ Cup All Purpose Flour - sifted
2 Large Eggs
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Allspice
¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
½ tsp Baking Powder
2 Cups Fresh Breadcrumbs
1 Small Dessert Apple* - peeled, cored, and diced
1 Cup Sultanas - can substitute golden raisins if desired
½ Cup Currants - can substitute with raisins if unable to find
¼ Cup Blanched Almonds - rough chopped
Juice of 1 Orange
Zest of 1 Orange
-OPTIONAL-
3 Tbs Mixed Candied Peel - small chopped
Preparation:
- Place your raisins in a small bowl and add the cognac - Allow to soak at room temperature over night (a minimum of 4 hours)
- Place a 5 cup pudding basin (you can use a medium Pyrex® mixing bowl if you do not have a pudding basin) upside down on parchment paper and trace - Cut out the disc and repeat making 2 discs - Butter and set aside until needed - Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the basin/bowl - Butter the basin/bowl and line the bottom with this disc - Butter the parchment paper in the bottom and set aside until needed
- Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined - Whisk in the flour a little at a time until thoroughly combined - Whisk in the eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and baking powder until thoroughly combined
- Fold in the breadcrumbs, apple, sultanas/golden raisins, soaked raisins and the cognac, currants, almonds, orange juice. orange zest, and candied peel (if using) until well combined - Transfer to the buttered pudding basin/bowl - Place the reserved buttered parchment discs on top of the pudding mixture
- Place the basin/bowl on aluminum foil and bring the foil up just over the top - Place another sheet of aluminum foil on top and bring the foil down under the bottom to make a water tight double package
- Tie with string under the edge of the basin/bowl and make a handle with additional string for easy lifting in and out of the steamer
- Stem in a large steamer or pot with a trivet in the bottom for 6-8 hours (check and top off the water every hour or so
- After steaming, remove from the steamer/pot and remove the aluminum foil - Remove the parchment paper 'cover' and replace with clean parchment paper and a 'tight lid' of aluminum foil
- Allow pudding to cool at room temperature over night (can be made up to 5 weeks before Christmas and left at room temperature)
- Before serving, Steam the pudding for 1 hour -OR- remove the aluminum foil and microwave for 2-4 minutes until piping hot
- Turn the pudding out onto a heat proof serving dish and remove all parchment - Garnish with holly (real or imitation) if desired
- Gently heat ¼ cup cognac in a small pan over medium-low heat - IN A SAFE AREA pour the warmed cognac over the pudding and light - Once the flame has self extinguished, cut and serve pudding with whipped cream, custard, or even ice cream
* Dessert (AKA Table) apples are apples grown to be eaten raw which include: Braeburn, Fuji, Gala,
Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, McIntosh, and Red Delicious - use your favorite
