Good Housekeeping UK

Christmas pudding

You'll be surprised how easy this Christmas pudding recipe is to make.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamUpdated: 13 October 2021

This Christmas pudding is actually an easy one to make, but you'll need to let the fruit soak overnight. It'll be worth it though, and your Christmas dinner guests will be oh so pleased!

It's a classic Christmas pudding recipe and is packed with raisins, sultanas, prunes, apples and mixed peel.

Stir-up Sunday is on 21 November this year (2021) and this is the day Christmas puddings and Christmas cakes are traditionally made, leaving enough time for them to mature before the big day. This would be the perfect recipe to tackle if your prefer homemade Christmas pud to a supermarket Christmas pudding.

However, if you've left it to the last minute (and who could blame you?) try our easy Christmas pudding. It can be made on the day itself and takes just 30 minutes, using less ingredients than most Christmas pudding recipes, thanks to the magic of a microwave.

And if you're really a fan of Christmas pudding we also recommend serving it with a wonderfully rich brandy sauce. It is Christmas after all.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Yields:

10 serving(s)

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

4 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

5 hrs

Cal/Serv:

232

Ingredients

150 g
(5oz) raisins
150 g
(5oz) sultanas
100 g
(3½oz) prunes, stoned and finely chopped
25g (1oz) chopped mixed peel
100 ml
(3½fl oz) apple juice
50ml (2fl oz) brandy (optional) or use 50ml (2fl oz) extra apple juice
Butter, to grease
2
eating apples, about 150g (5oz), peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
1 Tbsp.
ground cinnamon
1 tsp.
mixed spice
125 g
(4oz) dark brown soft sugar
50 g
(2oz) plain flour
50 g
(2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
1
large egg, beaten
25 g
(1oz) vegetarian suet

Directions

1. Step 1
  Put the dried fruit, mixed peel, apple juice and brandy (if using) into a large non-metallic bowl. Stir, then cover and leave at room temperature overnight to soak.
2. Step 2
  Lightly grease a 900ml (11/2 pint) pudding basin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Put a 35.5cm (14in) square of foil on top of a square of baking parchment of the same size. Fold a 4cm (11/2in) pleat across the centre and set aside.
3. Step 3
  Add remaining ingredients to the soaked fruit, stirring well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin, pushing down to pack the mixture in and level the surface. Put the pleated foil and parchment square (foil-side up) on top of the basin and smooth down to cover. Using a long piece of string, tie securely under the lip of the basin and loop over again and tie to make a handle.
4. Step 4
  To cook, put a heatproof saucer in the base of a large, deep pan (which has a tight-fitting lid). Lower in the prepared pudding and pour in enough water (trying not to get any on top of the pudding) to come halfway up sides of basin. Cover pan with the lid, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 41/2hr, topping up the water as necessary.
5. Step 5
  If serving immediately, carefully lift pudding out of pan by the handle and leave to stand for a few minutes. Remove lid, invert pudding on to a plate, peel off baking parchment disk and serve.
6. Step 6
  If making ahead, leave pudding to cool completely (out of pan). When cool, wrap the basin, still with its foil lid, tightly in clingfilm and then another layer of foil. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.
  
  To reheat your pudding on the hob
  
  Remove the top layer of foil, the clingfilm and pleated lid. Re-cover top of the basin with a baking parchment and foil lid as before. Using the instructions in step 4, re-heat for 2hrs. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then remove lid, invert pudding on to a plate and peel off baking parchment disk. Serve
  
  To reheat your pudding in the microwave
  
  Remove the top layer of foil, the clingfilm and pleated lid. Re-cover top of the basin with a baking parchment lid (do not use foil). Reheat at medium power (based on an 8OOW microwave) for 4min. Allow to stand for 1min, then cook again for 4min at the same temperature. Leave to stand for 1min, then remove lid, invert pudding on to a plate and peel off baking parchment disc. Serve.