For a twist on a classic Christmas pudding, this juicy pear and fiery ginger recipe is a really lovely alternative.
It only takes 30 minutes of prep time for this tasty pud, but you'll need to soak the cider, fruit and lemon zest overnight to rehydrate the fruits until plump and juicy.
For more Christmas pudding recipes, we have a whole gallery to suit your favourite flavours. If you're not a fan of Christmas pudding, check out which supermarket makes the best dessert centrepiece this year.
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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
4 hrs 30 mins
Total Time:
5 hrs
Cal/Serv:
407
Ingredients
For the pudding
250g
sultanas
75g
each dried apricots, dates (stoned) and figs, chopped
225ml
pear cider
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
butter, to grease
75g
vegetarian suet
100g
light brown soft sugar
2tsp.
each ground cinnamon and ground ginger
75g
plain flour
50g
fresh white breadcrumbs
1
large egg
1
pear, coarsely grated (skin on)
40g
stem ginger (about 2 balls), coarsely grated
For the topping
1 pear, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces
20g
stem ginger (about 1 ball), finely chopped
1Tbsp.
golden syrup
Directions
Step 1
For the pudding: put the dried fruit, pear cider and lemon zest into a large non-metallic bowl. Cover and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
Step 2
When fruit has soaked, lightly grease a 1 litre pudding basin with butter; line base with a disc of baking parchment. Put a large square of foil on top of a square of baking parchment of the same size. Fold a 4cm pleat across centre of both together; set aside.
Step 3
To make the topping, mix together the pear, ginger and golden syrup, then scrape into the base of the prepared pudding basin. Set aside.
Step 4
In a separate large bowl, mix together suet, sugar, spices, flour, breadcrumbs, egg, grated pear, stem ginger and the contents of the soaked fruit bowl. Stir well, then spoon into the prepared pudding basin and level the surface.
Step 5
Put pleated foil and parchment square (foil-side up) on top of basin; smooth down to cover. Tie a long piece of string securely under lip of basin, then loop it over again; tie to make a handle. Scrunch in excess foil around edges, to cover excess parchment paper – this will help stop moisture getting into the pudding.
Step 6
To cook, put a heatproof saucer in the base of a large deep pan. Lower in the prepared pudding and pour in enough water to come halfway up sides of basin, trying not to get any on top of pudding. Cover pan with a lid, then bring water to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 4½hr, topping up the water as necessary. Remove pudding from the pan and, if not serving immediately, cool completely, keeping wrapped and tied.
Step 7
When cool, wrap the entire basin, still with its foil lid, tightly in clingfilm and then another layer of foil. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months.
TO REHEAT ON THE HOB: Remove the top layer of foil, clingfilm and pleated lid. Re-cover top of basin with a baking parchment and foil lid as before. Using the instructions in step 6, reheat for 1½ hr. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then remove lid, invert pudding on to a lipped plate and peel off baking parchment disc. Serve.
TO FLAME YOUR PUDDING: Warm 4tbsp brandy in a small pan. Carefully light the brandy using a long match, and pour over the pudding.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
