As Christmas nears, thoughts turn to gifts, decorating, seeing family and friends, and of course festive food and drink!
And a Christmas highlight is the pudding. Comforting, tasty, and with a touch of theatre, a Christmas meal wouldn’t be without it.
So we’ve asked Jenny Flynn, Executive Head Chef of Faithlegg Hotel, to share her recipe.
Now you can all enjoy this must-have pudding at home – let us know how you get on, and merry Christmas!
From Jenny…
After the madness of Halloween, it is time to soak your fruit for the Christmas pudding.
I keep the fruit in a dark warm place for a week before I make my pudding. The fruit absorbs all the flavour of the alcohol, and it rehydrates the fruit to its former juiciness. I also love the smell.
Ingredients:
- 350g raisins
- 225g currants
- 225g sultanas
- 100g glace cherries
- 100g candied peel
- 75g almonds
- 400g breadcrumbs
- 10g salt
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 225g suet
- 225g brown sugar
- 1 large carrot 185g grated
- 1 cooking apple
- 1 lemon +1 orange 2 tablespoon black treacle
- 100ml Muldoon’s whiskey
- 4 eggs.
This will make two 2lb puddings.
Method:
Soak all the fruit with all the spices and liquid mix together very thoroughly and leave for a couple of days.
Stir it every day and don’t forget, everyone in the family must stir and make a wish!
Put the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix with fruit mixture.
Fill into pudding bowls; if plastic wet the lids, cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle also for ease of lifting.
Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for 4 hours or less depending on size. The water should come halfway up the side of the bowl. Check every hour or so and top up with boiling water if necessary.
After 5 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours – depending on the size, remove the pudding.
Allow to go cold and re-cover with fresh greaseproof paper.
Store in a cool dry place until required.
To serve, take the pudding out of the bowl onto a very hot serving plate, pour over some whiskey or brandy and ignite. Serve immediately on very hot plates with brandy butter and fresh cream.
