

Make your own delicious Christmas pudding
A traditional home-made Christmas pudding is a lovely treat for the family and it’s not difficult to make. The longest part is the steaming, but it will steam away on its own while you get on with other things.
We think it’s a great idea to get the kids involved with the measuring out of ingredients and then stirring it all up. Traditionally, the Christmas pudding is made on ‘stir-up Sunday’ which is five weeks before Christmas. But, there’s still plenty of time to get one made and it’ll keep the kids busy while teaching them how to make Christmas pud!
Before you start making your pud this year, check out our easy-to-follow, tasty recipe. It’s got step-by-step instructions on how to make a Christmas pudding which is rich, moist and fruity! Mmm!

Ingredients you’ll need

Equipment you’ll need:
- Saucepan with lid (we used a 20cm size one)
- String
- Baking paper
- Wooden spoon
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixer or hand blender
Step 1
Chop the glacé cherries in half and put in a large mixing bowl along with the mixed fruit and orange zest.

Step 2
Put four slices of bread into a blender and blend until you have a good consistency of crumbs.

Step 3
Add the breadcrumbs, flour, suet, sugar, mixed spice, salt and bicarbonate of soda to the bowl. Mix together.

Step 4
Add the black treacle, eggs and brandy and stir well. This is where you can take turns to stir... don’t forget to make a wish!

Step 5
Grease the pudding bowl with butter and spoon in all of the mixture.
Step 6
Take a piece of baking paper and fold a crease in the centre (this allows for the steam). Cover the bowl with the paper and secure it tightly with string below the lip of the bowl to create a seal.

Step 7
Put the bowl in a saucepan and fill the pan with water until it’s just below the string. Steam for around 5 hours. Leave the pudding to cool, prick with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and retie with string. Store in a cool dry place until Christmas Day.
Top tip: Check the water level in the saucepan half way through the cooking time and top up if needed.

That’s it! On Christmas Day reheat the pudding by steaming it for about an hour, and serve with brandy butter, custard or a brandy sauce – delicious!
What other treats are you cooking this weekend? Tell us on Facebook or Instagram.