In half a minute Mrs. Cratchit entered—flushed, but smiling proudly—with the pudding, like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

My partner, Debra, makes this traditional Christmas Pudding from a recipe that is the family recipe of a friend she met when she lived in Perth, Australia in the early 1980s.

Traditionally, a Christmas Pudding is started five weeks before Christmas on what is called “Stir-up Sunday.” The opening words of the Book Of Common Prayer, used on the last Sunday before Advent, reads: “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people,” and this date has been used for generations as the day for families to gather and “stir-up” the Christmas Pudding.

The pudding is steamed for over five hours on the day it’s made and injected several times with brandy in the weeks before Christmas. It’s then steamed again for another three hours on Christmas Day. Deb was able to bring home a traditional pudding tin home with her.

This recipe makes more than can fit in this eight cup pudding tin since we leave plenty of headspace at the top. We’re able to make a smaller pudding by using this steam table insert.

Ingredients:

• 372 grams Raisins, roughly chopped
• 375 grams Sultanas
• 250 grams Currants, roughly chopped
• 185 grams Prunes, chopped to same size as raisins and sultanas
• 185 grams Candied Mixed Peel, chopped
• Grated Peel of 1 Lemon
• 90 grams Blanched Almonds, chopped
• 1 large Carrot, grated
• 250 grams soft White Bread Crumbs
• 250 grams granulated White Sugar
• 125 grams All-Purpose White Flour
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ½ tsp. Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
• 4 large Eggs
• ¾ cup Milk
• ½ cup Brandy
• ½ cup Stout
• 250 grams Butter, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together the raisins, currants, sultanas, prunes, chopped candied peel, grated lemon peel, chopped almonds, grated carrot, and breadcrumbs.

In another bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, salt, grated nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice. Add to the dried fruit mix and stir to combine.

Lightly beat the eggs and then add the milk, brandy and stout. Mix in the melted and slightly cooled butter. Add the liquid mixture to the dried fruit mixture and stir to combine.

Step 2: Cut a round of parchment paper to cover the top of the pudding tin.

Use non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil to grease the pudding tin. Fill the mixture into the tin, leaving at least an inch of space at the top.

Wrap aluminum foil around the top of the tin and cover with the lid of the tin.

Step 3: Place the tin in a pot, preferably with a trivet in the bottom to keep the tin from making contact with the pot, and fill with hot water ⅔ up the side of the pudding tin. Place a cover on the pot and bring the water to a light boil. Continue cooking bain-marie style to steam the pudding for 5 ½ hours. Add water as needed throughout the cook time to keep the water level consistent.

Allow to cool and refrigerate.

Step 4: About every two weeks until Christmas, use a syringe to inject a 50 ml. sample bottle of brandy into the pudding around the top of the pudding as far as the syringe will go. Keep refrigerated.

Step 5: The final steaming can be done a few days before Christmas. The pudding should be steamed a final time for three hours.

After the pudding has cooled thoroughly, it can be removed from the tin. It freezes extremely well when wrapped in wax paper, plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

Heat before serving and top with a Brandy Sauce.

Brandy Sauce

• 4 tbsp. Butter, softened
• 2 tbsp. granulated White Sugar
• 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. Brandy
• Nutmeg, freshly grated

Whip butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until frothy. Whip in vanilla extract and brandy and dust with freshly grated nutmeg.