The Best Xmas Pudding Recipe

I don’t deny it: there is something unattractively boastful about calling one’s own recipe “ultimate”. But having soaked my dried fruit for this pudding in Pedro Ximénez — the sweet, dark, sticky sherry that has a hint of liquorice, fig and treacle about it — I know there is no turning back. It’s not even as if it’s an extravagance: the rum or brandy I’ve used up till now are more expensive and do the trick less well. This is sensational — it is the Queen of Christmas puddings. It has to be tried, and clamours to be savoured.

I know that many of you, tradition be damned, are resistant to Christmas pudding, and I do understand why. But you must try this. For until you do, you probably think all that dried fruit is, well, dry, and the pudding heavy. Yet this is far from the case: the fruit is moist and sticky, and the pudding mystifyingly, meltingly light.

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Thermomix Christmas Pudding Recipe

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You will need a 1.7 litre/3 pint/1½ quart heatproof plastic pudding basin with a lid, and also a sprig of holly to decorate.

If you do want to use an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker then you should put the pudding batter into the prepared pudding basin, put a circle of baking parchment (parchment paper) on top and then wrap the basin tightly in a double layer of clingfilm (plastic wrap) and a layer of foil, sealing each layer tightly. Don't use a clip-on lid as this will pop off when cooking under pressure. It is best to steam the pudding in the conventional way for 20 minutes first, as this activates the baking powder and gives a slightly lighter pudding. Once the pudding has had its initial steaming, put it on a trivet in the pressure cooker and add water to come 2cm/1 inch up the sides of the basin. Close the valve and cook under high pressure for 2 hours. Use natural release to reduce the pressure to a safe level before opening the cooker and removing the pudding. Let the pudding cool and once cold remove the wrapping and baking parchment, replace with fresh baking parchment and wrap again with a double layer of fresh clingfilm and a layer of foil, sealing each layer tightly. Store in a cool, dry place. To reheat the pudding, put it back on a trivet in the pressure cooker, add enough water to come 2cm/1 inch up the sides of the basin and cook under full pressure for 40 minutes. If you have an Instant Pot then you can use the keep warm function afterwards to keep the pudding warm until you are ready to serve it.

Grandmas Christmas Pudding

Although I stipulate a capacious 1.7 litre/3 pint/1½ quart basin, and cannot extol the utter gloriousness of this pud too much, I know that you’re unlikely to get through most of it, even half of it, at one sitting. But I like the grand, pride instilling size of this, plus it’s wonderful on following days, microwaved in portionsafter or between meals, with leftover Eggnog Cream, or fried in butter and eaten with vanilla ice cream for completely off-the-chart, midnight-munchy feasts. But it wouldn’t be out of the question — and it would certainly be in the spirit of the season — to make up the entire quantity of mixture, and share between smaller basins — a 2 pint/1 quart one for you, a 1 pint/½ quart one to give away. Three hours’ steaming both first and second time around should do it; just keep the one pudding for yourself, and give the other to a friend, after it’s had its first steaming, and is cool, with the steaming instructions for Christmas Day.

Make the Christmas pudding up to 6 weeks ahead. Keep in a cool, dark place, then proceed as recipe on Christmas Day.

Make and freeze the Christmas pudding for up to 1 year ahead. Thaw overnight at room temperature and proceed as recipe on Christmas Day.

Christmas Pudding Fridge Cake Recipe

If you prefer to reheat your pudding in a microwave on Christmas Day then make sure that you don’t put any coins or metal charms in the pudding. Steam the pudding for 8 hours then cool and store it. To reheat in a microwave (for an 800W oven), loosen the lid of the basin slightly or wrap the basin in clingfilm/plastic wrap and poke a couple of holes in the top (do not put any foil in the microwave). Microwave on full power for 4 minutes, stand for 3 minutes, microwave on low for 7 minutes and stand for 5 minutes. This should be enough to warm the pudding through but check by inserting a metal skewer into the centre of the pudding and then very carefully touch the end of the skewer on your wrist. The tip should feel hot. If it is not hot then microwave on full power for 1 minute, stand 1 minute and check again. Repeat until the pudding is piping hot all the way to the centre. Foods should only be reheated once, so we do not advise reheating leftoversGet motivated in November to make your Christmas pudding to have it mature in time. Check the Recipe Tips for instructions to cook your Christmas pudding in the pressure cooker or in the slow cooker

Instructions for slow cooker Christmas pudding: Preheat the slow cooker to high. Add a trivet to the bottom of the slow cooker and place the wrapped pudding on top. Pour boiling water into the slow cooker to a depth of 10cm/4in. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 10 hours. Remove from the slow cooker and set aside to cool. Cover the pudding with dry paper and foil, if needed, and set aside to mature. To reheat the pudding, place the pudding back in the trivet in the slow cooker and add boiling water as before. Cook on low for 4 hours. Turn out, flame and serve.

Instructions for pressure cooker: Place the wrapped, uncooked pudding onto a trivet in the bottom of the pressure cooker and add water to 10cm/4in depth. Bring the water to the boil, covering the pan loosely with a lid. Steam the pudding for 30 minutes. Check the water level, then put the lid onto the pressure cooker properly and bring to high pressure. Cook the pudding for 2 hours, then allow to depressurise naturally. Allow to cool completely, replace the paper and foil if soggy, then set aside to mature. When reheating, put the pudding onto the trivet in the pressure cooker and add water as before. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook the pudding for 30 minutes, then allow to depressurise naturally. Turn out, flame on, and serve.

The Best Christmas Pudding Recipe / Riverford

There is a simple secret to making a good Christmas pudding. Use only the best fruit and freshest nuts and spices and steam it for as long as you can bear to! It really makes a huge difference to the colour and taste of the pudding if you can steam for eight or so hours. Don’t panic this does not need to be done in one day - the puddings can be cooked over two or three days.

If you prefer to reheat your pudding in a microwave on Christmas Day then make sure that you don’t put any coins or metal charms in the pudding. Steam the pudding for 8 hours then cool and store it. To reheat in a microwave (for an 800W oven), loosen the lid of the basin slightly or wrap the basin in clingfilm/plastic wrap and poke a couple of holes in the top (do not put any foil in the microwave). Microwave on full power for 4 minutes, stand for 3 minutes, microwave on low for 7 minutes and stand for 5 minutes. This should be enough to warm the pudding through but check by inserting a metal skewer into the centre of the pudding and then very carefully touch the end of the skewer on your wrist. The tip should feel hot. If it is not hot then microwave on full power for 1 minute, stand 1 minute and check again. Repeat until the pudding is piping hot all the way to the centre. Foods should only be reheated once, so we do not advise reheating leftoversGet motivated in November to make your Christmas pudding to have it mature in time. Check the Recipe Tips for instructions to cook your Christmas pudding in the pressure cooker or in the slow cooker

Instructions for slow cooker Christmas pudding: Preheat the slow cooker to high. Add a trivet to the bottom of the slow cooker and place the wrapped pudding on top. Pour boiling water into the slow cooker to a depth of 10cm/4in. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 10 hours. Remove from the slow cooker and set aside to cool. Cover the pudding with dry paper and foil, if needed, and set aside to mature. To reheat the pudding, place the pudding back in the trivet in the slow cooker and add boiling water as before. Cook on low for 4 hours. Turn out, flame and serve.

Instructions for pressure cooker: Place the wrapped, uncooked pudding onto a trivet in the bottom of the pressure cooker and add water to 10cm/4in depth. Bring the water to the boil, covering the pan loosely with a lid. Steam the pudding for 30 minutes. Check the water level, then put the lid onto the pressure cooker properly and bring to high pressure. Cook the pudding for 2 hours, then allow to depressurise naturally. Allow to cool completely, replace the paper and foil if soggy, then set aside to mature. When reheating, put the pudding onto the trivet in the pressure cooker and add water as before. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook the pudding for 30 minutes, then allow to depressurise naturally. Turn out, flame on, and serve.

The Best Christmas Pudding Recipe / Riverford

There is a simple secret to making a good Christmas pudding. Use only the best fruit and freshest nuts and spices and steam it for as long as you can bear to! It really makes a huge difference to the colour and taste of the pudding if you can steam for eight or so hours. Don’t panic this does not need to be done in one day - the puddings can be cooked over two or three days.