Christmas pudding recipes (2024)

FAQs

How long before Christmas should I make the pudding? ›

Make the Christmas pudding up to 6 weeks ahead. Keep in a cool, dark place, then proceed as recipe on Christmas Day. FREEZE AHEAD: Make and freeze the Christmas pudding for up to 1 year ahead.

It has its origins in medieval England, with early recipes making use of dried fruit, suet, breadcrumbs, flour, eggs and spice, along with liquid such as milk or fortified wine.

With respect to the different names, the short answer is that figgy pudding can be considered a much earlier precursor of plum pudding and they've both come to be referred to as Christmas pudding. Figgy pudding dates back to the 14th century and was a much different dish than what we refer to as figgy pudding today.

It is meant to be made on the last Sunday before Advent, or five weeks before Christmas. The pudding should be stored in a cool, dry place until Christmas day. All you need to do is reheat it before serving. Not only does this save you time on Christmas day, but it also gives the flavors time to mature.

Brandy works wonderfully well and we've added more punch by infusing it with fantastically festive flavourings.

If water has entered the wrapped pudding basin then it is likely that the pan was boiling a little too hard, and may also have been too full of water, meaning the water came up and over the top of the pudding basin which makes it easier for water to enter.

Superstitions say that Christmas pudding must be prepared with 13 ingredients, which are said to represent Jesus and his twelve disciples. It is also said that the mixture should be stirred in turn from east to west, by each family member, to honour the disciples' journey.

If you or someone in your family is a vegetarian and doesn't want to eat suet, look for a recipe that uses butter or margarine instead, such as this recipe for individual Christmas puddings.

We would also mention that after the first steaming the pudding may look a little lighter in colour than you may expect. On the second steaming the pudding will darken in colour. As it re-heats it will also become slightly softer in texture and should be easy to cut once it has been turned out from its basin.

The Christmas sixpence

A silver sixpence was placed into the pudding mix and every member of the household gave the mix a stir. Whoever found the sixpence in their own piece of the pudding on Christmas Day would see it as a sign that they would enjoy wealth and good luck in the year to come.

Does the alcohol cook out of figgy pudding? ›

Conclusion: Christmas puddings contain ethanol that does not all evaporate during the cooking process.

Beef fat (from the butchers) or lard (available in supermarkets) make acceptable substitutes.

You can use any other high alcohol liquor that you have to hand for flaming the pudding (though not a fortified wine, such as port) and cognac/brandy and whisky are often traditional choices. Port could be used for soaking the fruits for the pudding but make sure it is a sweet variety of port.

The pudding should be stirred from east to west, in honour of the Magi (Wise Men) who came from the east to visit the baby Jesus. It's also a good excuse to enjoy a wee dram or a cup of festive mulled wine! On Christmas Day the pudding has its own ritual.

The most popular thing to hide in a Christmas pudding is a silver coin, which if found is meant to bring the recipient good luck (although a few broken tooth anecdotes might say otherwise) for the next year.

The pudding can be made up to three months before Christmas and kept refrigerated, or made up to one year ahead and frozen. If the pudding was made in an aluminium steamer, remove it from the steamer and wrap in plastic wrap before storing.

Traditionally, Christmas pudding is made five weeks before Christmas, on or after the last Sunday before the first Advent (the last Sunday in the Church Year).

You are correct to put a fresh piece of paking parchment (parchment paper) on top of the pudding and make sure that if there is a lid it is snapped on tightly. It is also a good idea to overwrap the bowl with 2 to 3 layers of clingfilm (plastic wrap) as this will help to keep the bowls sealed tightly.

Here's a general guideline: Room Temperature: It's safe to store Christmas pudding at room temperature for a few days, but it's not recommended for long-term storage. Refrigerator: In the fridge, Christmas pudding can last for up to a week while maintaining its quality.