Christmas Pudding with Candied Orange and Cherries

Ingredients candied oranges:

• 2 small oranges cut into 5mm slices (discard the ends)

• 100g caster sugar

• 100ml cold water

Ingredients puddings:

• 175 g currants

• 175g sultanas

• 175g roughly chopped prunes

• 75g dried cranberries

• 200ml sweet sherry. I like to use the delicious barrel aged ‘TRIANA Pedro Ximenez’ sherry because of its opulent sweet dried plum flavour (available Majestic wines)

• 200g glace cherries

• 100g plain flour

• 125g fresh breadcrumbs

• 150g suet (beef or vegetable)

• 150g dark brown muscavado sugar

• 75g whole almonds or pecans, roughly chopped

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• grated zest of 1 lemon

• 3 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons honey

• Softened butter for greasing

• 125ml brandy, rum or vodka to flame the pudding (optional) plus extra to feed the

  puddings once cooked

• Fresh double cream, brand butter or brandy sauce to serve

Method: You will need a 1.7 litre/3 pint pudding basin or a heatproof plastic pudding basin. You can if you wish split this mixture into two or three smaller basins. Baking parchment and foil to cover the puddings.

1. Cook the oranges the day before. Boil the orange slices in a saucepan of boiling water for one minute, then remove the slices to a bowl of iced water to chill. When cold remove and drain on a cooling wire in one layer for 30 minutes.

2. Now measure 100ml of water and bring to the boil with 100g of caster sugar. Add the orange slices, reduce the heat and gently poach for about 45 minutes until tender.

3. Allow 12 hours to steep the dried fruit. Put the dried fruit into a bowl with the sherry and mix together to coat the fruit. Cover and leave to steep somewhere cool for at least 12 hours giving the fruit a good stir every 4 hours if possible. Once the fruit has steeped you can make a start with making the pudding.

4. Generously grease the pudding basin/s with softened butter.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the remaining pudding ingredients (except the cherries and brandy), with the steeped fruits, making sure you scrape down all the cherry juice, and thoroughly mix to combine all the ingredients.

6. Place the cherries into the centre of the basin/s. Now place the orange slices to the sides leaving a little gap in between (you may not need all the slices).

7. Carefully fill with the mixture pressing it down making sure the oranges stay in place, leaving a little space at the top for the puddings to rise slightly.

8. Cover the basin/s with a double layer of baking parchment and a sheet of aluminium foil large enough to cover 2.5cm down the side of the basin/s. Fold a pleat in the middle, to allow it to stretch during cooking if required. Tie securely with string. It’s also a good idea to tie a piece of string across the top to make a handle.

9. To cook either cook in a lidded steamer or put the basin/s into saucepan of boiling water with a heatproof plate or saucer in the bottom. The water need to come halfway up the basin and steam for 5 hours if cooking a large one, checking every now and again that the water hasn’t bubbled away. Reduce the time if cooking smaller ones to about 3 hours. If you have a food probe you can check the internal core temperature is above 80 deg C when cooked.

10. When the puddings are cooked, carefully remove from the steamer or saucepan and leave to cool for 30 minutes. When cool unwrap the foil, and allow to become cold.

11. You can now feed the pudding/s with brandy. Prick all over with a cocktail stick, and spoon over 4 table spoons of brandy allowing it to soak in. If you have made smaller puddings divide between them.

12. Recover with aluminium foil and leave somewhere cool like a garage for up to 14 months.

To serve:

The easiest way to reheat is in a microwave. Microwaves are all different so I suggest you refer to the manufacturers handbook. Cover with cling wrap and pierce the top. Depending on the size of your pudding/s and the power of your microwave it should take between 2 and 8 minutes. I suggest you heat it in 2 or 3 stages allowing a minute to rest in between. If you have a food probe, heat the core temperature above 75 deg C. Be careful not to over heat as the fruit may caramelise.

If you prefer to steam place the pudding wrapped in foil (so the water doesn’t get in) and steam for 1 hour for a smaller pudding and 3 hours for a large one. Again checking the core temperature reaches 75 deg C.

When ready to serve, turnout onto a warm plate allowing the basin to stand upside down for a couple of minutes. This will help the pudding to slip out. Reposition the oranges if they have moved, and rearrange the cherries on the top if required.

To flame:

To flame (optional): Please be careful not singed anything, to burn yourself or spill the flaming brandy. Be ready with the table cleared, dessert plates ready, all your guests seated and the lights dimmed. Pour the brandy into a metal ladle and heat over a gas flame or blow torch until it catches fire and then immediately pour over the pudding and present to your guests.