A Wonderful Traditional English Christmas Pudding

I loved my Nan’s Christmas pudding it was something that made Christmas lunch special , she would make this Christmas pudding  a few weeks before Christmas, then stored in a cool dry place  in her larder as there was no need to refrigerate it .

She would then on the day  steam the whole pudding again for a couple of hours and if there was any left over she would heat it up again on a dish in individual portions in the oven of course today the microwave is good here .

It is traditional to serve Christmas Pudding with brandy butter, which is one of my favourites or you could use heavy cream

Ingredients

4 oz flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 oz breadcrumbs
1/2 lb suet (beef suet is best but vegetarian will work)
4 oz white sugar
4 oz dark brown sugar
6 oz sultanas
6 oz raisins
6 oz currants
juice and zest of one orange  (Tip – use a fine grater to get the zest off the citrus, before you squeeze the juice out.)
juice and zest of one lemon
2 eggs, beaten
2 dessert spoons of black treacle
2 tablespoons brandy

Recipe

• Mix together the dry ingredients thoroughly. Add the orange and lemon zest. Mix the juice and the brandy into the beaten eggs, then pour all the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix. Add the black treacle and mix well.
•  My Nan  at this point would as everyone to have a stir of the mixture at this point as it is good luck , so we made a wish each of us when stirring  the pudding
• The mixture should hopefully be a dropping consistency, if not, add a little milk.
• Line a medium-sized pudding basin with a small round of greaseproof paper( baking parchment) and grease the whole thing well. Fill with the mixture not quite to the top.
• Cover with more greased greaseproof paper, then foil, and tie with a string.
• Stand on an upturned saucer in a pan of water (the water should come about 2/3 up the sides of the basin).
• If you don’t have a pudding cloth, put a long strip of folded foil underneath to help you to lift the basin out later.
• Cover loosely and steam for 5 – 6 hours, frequently topping up the water. Once cooked, remove from the water and allow to cool, then re-cover with fresh greaseproof and foil and store in the basin.

Enjoy!

 Photo Source 

 
Tip – use a fine grater to get the zest off the citrus, before you squeeze the juice out.