Perfect Christmas Pudding

by Foodie #625577

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There are few dishes so quintessentially Christmassy as the Christmas Pudding. One whiff of it conjures images of family gatherings, endless unwrapped presents and overfull tummies. Everyone has their favourite version of this classic – or at least their favourite cook of it. It’s a hard dish to master if you’ve never tried to make it before, so we’ve provided step-by-step instructions in this recipe.
Pretty soon, you might be making someone’s favourite version of the good old Christmas pudding.

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Perfect Christmas Pudding recipe - How to make Perfect Christmas Pudding

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Puddings

Preparation Time: 10 hrs Cooking Time: 5 hrs Total Time: 90015 hours 10Makes 10 servings
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Ingredients

375 gms chopped raisins (kismis)
375 gms raisins
250 gms black currants
200 gms dried apricots (kummani / jardalu) , roughly chopped
150 gms deseeded prunes , roughly chopped
250 gms butter , melted and cooled
4 eggs
1/2 cup self raising flour
1 1/2 cups plain flour (maida)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup blackcurrant essence
3/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup green ginger (adrak)
1 tbsp nutmeg (jaiphal) powder
1 tbsp mixed spice
1 tbsp cinnamon (dalchini) powder
1 tbsp baking soda
cream to serve

Method

Combine the dried fruit, brandy, wine, essence and spices in a bowl. Cover and keep aside overnight, stirring occasionally.
Grease a 10-cup basin with melted butter and refrigerate for 15 mins. Brush with butter again.
Line base of bowl with baking paper.
Whisk eggs and butter together. Add to fruit mixture with sugar.
Sift plain flour, self-raising flour, and bicarbonate of soda over fruit mixture.
Combine with a wooden spoon. Spoon into prepared basin.
Cut a sheet of foil and a sheet of baking paper into circles, 5 cms larger than the top of the pudding bowl.
Lay paper over foil. Make a pleat by folding in half and then in half again.
Place paper-side down, over pudding.
Crush surplus foil and baking paper firmly around rim and secure with string.
Place an upturned plate into the base of a large, deep saucepan. Place the pudding basin onto the plate.
Pour hot water into the saucepan so it comes one-third of the way up the side of the basin.
Cover saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.
Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 hours.
Remove pudding from water.
Stand for 30 minutes. Turn onto a platter.
Serve with cream or cool completely, then store.