DISH RESEARCH · Dessert

Christmas pudding

Nigella Lawson’s selected Christmas pudding combines sherry-steeped dried fruit with suet, breadcrumbs, apple, eggs, honey and spices, then cooks the covered pudding in two separate steamings before its Christmas presentation.

About Christmas pudding

Research draft based on the references below. These notes describe particular recipes and presentations; ingredient connections are still being reviewed.

Nigella Lawson’s selected Christmas pudding steeps currants, sultanas and chopped prunes in Pedro Ximénez sherry. Dark muscovado sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest and honey season this dried-fruit version from Nigella Christmas.

The fruit is covered and left to steep. Flour, fresh breadcrumbs, suet, sugar, spices, baking powder, lemon zest, eggs, peeled grated cooking apple and honey form the pudding mixture.

The soaked fruit and all its sherry are mixed through the remaining ingredients. The mixture is pressed into a buttered lidded pudding basin, wrapped in foil and steamed for its first long cooking.

The pudding remains in its basin between the two steamings. On Christmas Day it is wrapped again and steamed a second time, then inverted onto a plate and unmoulded.

Lawson’s presentation finishes the dark pudding with a holly sprig and a flaming vodka finish. Eggnog cream is served separately alongside the sherry-soaked fruit and spiced pudding.

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Dish type: Dessert
Preparation: Read the preparation
The fruit is covered and left to steep. Flour, fresh breadcrumbs, suet, sugar, spices, baking powder, lemon zest, eggs, peeled grated cooking apple and honey form the pudding mixture. The soaked fruit and all its sherry are mixed through the remaining ingredients. The mixture is pressed into a buttered lidded pudding basin, wrapped in foil and steamed for its first long cooking. The pudding remains in its basin between the two steamings. On Christmas Day it is wrapped again and steamed a second time, then inverted onto a plate and unmoulded. Lawson’s presentation finishes the dark pudding with a holly sprig and a flaming vodka finish. Eggnog cream is served separately alongside the sherry-soaked fruit and spiced pudding.

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Ingredients in Christmas pudding

Recorded ingredient connections, rather than a complete recipe. Explore an ingredient for more detail.

Dried fruitfilling
Wheat flourbinder
Breadcrumbsbase
Suetcooking medium
Sugarsweetener
Eggbinder
Brandyseasoning
Mixed baking spicesseasoning

Ingredient connections awaiting review. Versions and preparation vary.

Origins & food traditions

Explore the countries and cooking traditions associated with this dish. These connections do not establish a single birthplace or limit where the dish is eaten today.

Countries

United Kingdom

Cuisines & regions

English cuisine

AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.

Sources & references

Ultimate Christmas Pudding