Name: Christmas Pudding
Prep time: 26 h
Cook time: 10 h
Total time: 36 h
Ingredients: 145 mL Guinness; 45 mL rum (I used Gosling's); 45 mL brandy; 225 g dried fruit (I used 45 g each dark raisins, golden raisins, currants, dried chopped dates and dried cranberries); butter, lard or shortening (for greasing the pudding basin); 110 g all-purpose flour; 225 g suet (see notes); 225 g white breadcrumbs; 225 g light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon molasses; 110 grams whole blanched almonds; 55 grams walnut pieces; 110 grams chopped apple; 1 small lemon, zest and juice; 1 small orange, zest and juice; 2 eggs; 110 g glace cherries; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/8 teaspoon mace; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened; 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 cup brandy; 125 mL brandy (to flame the pudding)

Description

A classic Christmas pudding

Ingredients

For the pudding

145 mL Guinness
45 mL rum (I used Gosling’s)
45 mL brandy
225 g dried fruit (I used 45 g each dark raisins, golden raisins, currants, dried chopped dates and dried cranberries)
butter, lard or shortening (for greasing the pudding basin)
110 g all-purpose flour
225 g suet (see notes)
225 g white breadcrumbs
225 g light brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
110 grams whole blanched almonds
55 grams walnut pieces
110 grams chopped apple
1 small lemon, zest and juice
1 small orange, zest and juice
2 eggs
110 g glace cherries
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the hard sauce

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup brandy

Assembly

125 mL brandy (to flame the pudding)

Instructions

For the pudding

Six weeks before Christmas, soak the dried fruit in alcohol for 24 hours.
Grease your pudding basin with butter, lard or shortening.
Combine all ingredients and mix until well combined.
Pack mixture into your pudding basin and secure the top. Wrap the entire basin in aluminum foil to ensure no water leaks into the basin.
Put basin in a large pot and fill with water about two-thirds up the side. Heat to a simmer and cover. Steam for five hours.
Remove basin from the pot and put aside for 6 weeks or as long as you have (I only had 3 weeks and it turned out fine). I put the basin (still wrapped in foil) in my linen closet on a plate because it’s a little bit fatty.
On Christmas, steam for another five hours. Un-mold onto a platter. Let stand while you make the hard sauce.

For the hard sauce

With a hand mixer, combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and nutmeg. Mix until light and fluffy. Slowly add the brandy until well incorporated.
Remove to a serving dish.

Assembly

Warm the brandy over low heat in a small saucepan, not allowing it to boil. Set fire to the alcohol in the pan and pour over the pudding (see notes).
Serve with hard sauce.

Notes

I got suet frozen from my butcher. It’s a type of hard animal fat. I have no idea if this is right, but I grated it with a cheese grater into the pudding mixture, which seems to have worked fine.
Personally, I set fire to the alcohol and poured it over the pudding at the dining room table, but if you’re more safety-minded, you might want to do the pouring in the kitchen and bring the flaming pudding wherever you intend to eat it.