INGREDIENTS
- 50g Blanched Almonds
- 3 large Bramley cooking apples
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 1kg raisins
- 140g plain flour
- 100g soft fresh white breadcrumbs
- 100g light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- One shot of brandy, plus extra to light the pudding
- 250g butter
For the brandy and ginger butter
- 175g unsalted butter softened
- grated zest of an orange
- 5 tbsp icing sugar
- One shot of brandy
- 2 pieces of stem ginger finely chopped
Method
Step 1: Get everything for the pudding prepared. Chop the almonds coarsely. Peel, core and chop the cooking apples. (You can chop the almonds and apples in a food processor). Grate three quarters of the nutmeg
Step 2: Mix the almonds, apples, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light brown sugar, eggs and one shot of brandy in a large bowl
Step 3: Grate a quarter of the butter into the bowl, then stir everything together. Repeat until all the butter is grated, then stir for 3-4 mins – the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir
Step 4: Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each. Pack in the pudding mixture. Cover with a double layer of
baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion, then tie with string (keep the paper in place with a rubber band while tying). Trim off any excess paper.
Step 5: Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top, then put another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to
make a double package (this makes the puddings watertight).
Step 6: Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary. Remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight.
Step 7: To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and icing sugar. Gradually beat in the brandy and chopped stem ginger. Put in a small bowl
and put in the fridge to set.
Step 8: On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hr. Unwrap and turn out. To flame, warm one shot of brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set
light to it.
Enjoy. Happy Christmas Pudding.
