Christmas pudding with brandy butter

Ingredients

• 115g of self-raising flour
• 110g of white breadcrumbs
• 110g of suet
• 250g of soft brown sugar
• ½ tsp of ground mixed spice
• ¼ tsp of grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp of cinnamon
• 50g of nibbed almonds
• 90g of dates, stones removed
• 125g of raisins
• 125g of sultanas
• 125g of currants
• 25g of mixed peel
• 1 Bramley apple, peeled and grated
• 1 orange, juiced and zested
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 3 eggs
• 75ml of rum
• 75ml of brandy
• 75ml of Guinness
• 100g of golden syrup

Brandy butter

• 100g of unsalted butter, softened
• 225g of icing sugar
• brandy to taste

To plate

• 200ml of double cream

Method

1. Firstly sieve the flour then mix together with the breadcrumbs, suet, almonds, sugar and spices.

2. Cut up the dates, taking out the stones then mix together with all the fruit and add to the mixture from the previous step.

3. Whisk up the eggs and add to the pudding mixture along with all other remaining ingredients and mix together.

4. Leave mixture to mature in the fridge for a week. Throughout the week taste the mixture to see if it is to your liking. If needed more spices or alcohol can be added.

5. To cook the pudding once matured, firstly butter and flour a pudding basin then fill ¾ of the way up the mould with the mixture. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on top of the mixture then cover the basin with some foil and tightly seal.

6. Steam the pudding in a steamer for around 4 hours. Leave to cool and store in the fridge or a cool place, ensuring it is wrapped tightly until needed.

7. To reheat the pudding: place back in the steamer for another 2 hours then serve straight away with brandy butter and double cream.

8. For the brandy butter, put the butter into a large bowl and leave until soft enough to beat. Whisk the butter until light and creamy.

9. Pour in the icing sugar and beat again until the sugar is completely mixed in.

10. Add in some brandy and whisk together. Add in more brandy if the balance of sweetness and is not to your liking. Store in the fridge until needed.

Recipe courtesy of Great British Chefs. Visit their site for more great Christmas recipes.