This Sunday, the 26th November 2023 is known as some as stir-up-Sunday. The name comes from the opening words from the Book of Common Prayer’s collect for the Sunday before Advent, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. Traditionally, this is the Sunday before advent (3rd September, this year). For those more culinarily minded, stir-up Sunday has also become the traditional day for making Christmas Pudding. OK, many people (my husband’s mother for one) will already have made the Christmas pudding weeks beforehand. But you can still make a traditional Christmas pudding that needs maturing now.
This is a slightly lighter version of traditional Christmas pudding, but it maintains all the essential flavour components.
Prep time: 30 minutes/Cook time: 240 minutes/Makes 1 x 1.4l/2½ pint pudding (+2 hours steaming on the day)
Ingredients:
425g dried fruit of your choice (I like 150g currants, 150g sultanas, 100g dried figs, 25g sour cherries, all coarsely chopped)
50g candied peel
175ml sherry
150g soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
75g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
75g fresh breadcrumbs, preferably brown
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 unwaxed orange and 1 unwaxed lime
150g suet
50g blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp black treacle (molasses)
150ml stout
75ml milk
Method:
Combine the dried fruit and peel with the sherry and set aside to soak over-night.
The following day, whisk together the sugar, spice, flour, salt and breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl then stir in the zest, suet and almonds. Beat together the egg and treacle then mix into the dry ingredients along with the stout and milk – stirring this mixture should traditionally be shared by everyone in the household, stirring from east to west, while making a wish.
Now stir in the fruit and any sherry in the bottom of the bowl, and then taste the mixture and add a little more mixed spice or sherry if you like, and any silver coins, rings or other charms you might like to break your family’s teeth on.
Thoroughly grease a 1.4l (2½ pint) pudding basin, including the lid, and spoon the mixture in – it should be no more than three-quarters full as it will expand on steaming.
Cut a round of greaseproof paper to fit the top, then cover with a lid, or two pieces of pleated foil. Wrap the whole lot in foil to ensure it is watertight. Steam in a steamer – or a saucepan with a saucer, or the lid of a jar, in the bottom – for 4 hours, checking the water level regularly. Store in a cool place until Christmas Day, feeding occasionally with alcohol if you like your puddings boozy.
To serve on Christmas day, steam for 1.5 hours then top with booze, light and serve with brandy butter (or white butter sauce), custard or ice-cream.
