Christmas Pudding Recipe

Well it doesn’t get any more classic than this. A traditional tipsy dessert that you need to prep a good few weeks ahead to give it enough time to soak up all the delicious sweet booze and for the spices to release their full potential. This recipe will serve up to 12 people or give you plenty of extra helpings.

Ingredients

1kg mixed dried fruit

1 orange - zested

1 lemon - zested

150ml of brandy, whiskey, rum or sherry

250g unsalted butter

200g light soft brown sugar

175g plain flour

100g ground almonds

1/2tsp baking powder

2tsp mixed spice

1tsp ground cinnamon

1/4tsp ground cloves

100g flaked almonds

4 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. In a pan on medium heat add the mixed fruit, orange and lemon zest, your alcohol of choice, butter and sugar and bring to the boil. Once it has got to boiling point reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Put these ingredients into a bowl and allow to cool.
2. In the meantime preheat your oven to 150 degrees and line a pudding dish with baking paper.
3. Add all ingredients to the bowl and stir together. Once properly combined add to the baking tin and give it a good tap so that you’re getting rid of all of the air bubbles in the mixture. Put in the oven and leave for 2 hours.
4. Once the time is up take the pudding out of the oven and poke several holes in the disk and spoon over 2tbsp of alcohol over the top.
5. Once cooled take out of the dish and cover in cling film. Each fortnight on the run up to Christmas add an additional 2tbsp of alcohol to the pudding.
6. One week before serving make sure you haven’t added any more alcohol so it has had the chance to dry out and when the big day comes smother with icing.