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Basic Christmas Pudding
Basic Christmas Pudding
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Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
300 minutes
Total Time:
330 minutes
Celebrate Christmas with a festive and flavorsome traditional pudding.
Ingredients:
  • 250g raisins, coarsely chopped if desired
  • 250g sultanas
  • 250g currants
  • 125g mixed peel
  • 2 lemons, rind finely grated
  • 250mls (1 cup) brandy
  • 250g butter, at room temperature
  • 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
  • 245g (3 1/2 cups) breadcrumbs, made from day-old bread
  • 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
  • 5.00 gm mixed spice
  • 5.00 gm ground cinnamon
  • 2.50 gm ground ginger
  • 50g (1/3cup) plain flour, extra, for cloth
Instructions:
  • Place the calico in a large bowl and cover with water, allowing it to soak overnight. In another large bowl, combine raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, and lemon rind. Heat the brandy until almost boiling, then pour it over the fruit mixture. Stir to combine, cover, and set aside overnight. Heating the brandy helps the fruit soak it up quickly, making it soft and plump. Feel free to soak the fruit longer, but once the brandy is absorbed, no need to soak further as the flavor won't intensify.
  • Drain the cauliflower and add it to a pot of boiling water. Let it boil for 20 minutes.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, use electric beaters to blend the butter and brown sugar until pale and creamy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the breadcrumbs, plain flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, and ginger to the fruit and brandy mixture, and combine thoroughly. Remember, you can use any type of bread to make breadcrumbs - white bread is most popular, or consider using rye for a richer flavor.
  • Combine the butter mixture with clean hands until fully mixed.
  • Take the calico out of the boiling water (use rubber gloves to protect yourself). Squeeze out any extra water. Place the calico flat on a clean surface and sprinkle with the extra flour, spreading it with your hands to create a thin, even layer covering the calico, leaving a 5cm border. This flour layer acts as a seal to keep the pudding from absorbing too much water while cooking.
  • Form the pudding mixture into a large ball and place it in the center of the floured calico. Insert old coins evenly into the mixture if desired. Gather the calico at the top and tightly tie it with unwaxed string, creating a loop for easy lifting. Make sure it is sealed properly to prevent water from seeping in while cooking. This loop serves as a handle for lifting and hanging the pudding to dry.
  • Bring a generously sized saucepan of boiling water to the stove. Ensure the water level is high enough for the pudding to float without sticking.
  • Gently submerge the pudding into the boiling water in a saucepan. Cover and let it cook over medium-high heat for 5 hours, ensuring the water level is maintained to prevent the pudding from sticking to the bottom without pouring water directly onto it.
  • Carefully remove the pudding from the boiling water using rubber gloves. Serve immediately or store for richer flavor. Hang the pudding in a dry place without touching anything – options include the back of a chair, a drawer handle, or a suspended broom handle. Loop the calico ends through the string to prevent them from resting on the pudding. The outside will begin to dry quickly, but let the pudding hang overnight to dry completely.
  • The following day, carefully remove the string from the pudding and gently peel back the calico to expose the top. Allow the slightly damp edges of the calico to dry completely to ensure preservation. This may take up to 2 days depending on the humidity. Once dry, securely tie the cloth close to the pudding using unwaxed string, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Alternatively, hang the pudding in a cool, dry place.
  • Reheating and serving: The day before serving, take the Christmas pudding out of the fridge. Using rubber gloves, gently place it in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 2 hours as in step 4, adding more boiling water as needed. Remove the pudding and let it rest for about 10 minutes as in step 5. Untie and unwrap the pudding, place it on a serving plate, and pour 250mls (1 cup) of brandy into a small pot, heating it until almost boiling. Drizzle the hot brandy over the pudding, garnish as desired, ignite, and bring it to the table aflame.

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