Steamed Christmas pudding

Imagine cutting into a deep, dark, moist pudding. It’s fragrant with spice and rich with plump, boozy fruits. The texture is beautifully dense, yet light from steaming, and every bite delivers warmth from rum and citrus. Served with a billow of silky, spiked rum cream, it’s the ultimate festive finale.

By Edd Kimber
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Original recipe from BBC Saturday Kitchen Live.

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This traditional steamed Christmas pudding is a festive treat. The score reflects the energy density and sugar content from the dried fruit, light brown muscovado sugar, and double cream. It’s a special-occasion dessert, best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Per serving (approx): 580 kcal | 32g fat | 19g saturates | 65g carbs | 52g sugars | 3g fibre | 7g protein.

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Equipment

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Ingredients

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Method

1. Soak the fruit the night before. This is the secret step! Put all your dried fruit and mixed peel in a big bowl. Pour over the dark rum and add the orange zest and juice. Give it a really good stir, cover the bowl, and just walk away. Let those fruits get wonderfully plump and boozy overnight. Trust me, it makes all the difference.

Making the Pudding Mix (Day of Cooking)

2. Bring it all together. To your boozy fruit mixture, add the grated Bramley apple, muscovado sugar, softened butter, and eggs. Stir it well – don’t worry if it looks a bit split. Now, add the self-raising flour, all the spices, the fresh breadcrumbs, and the ground almonds. Mix until you have a lovely, thick, sticky batter. It will smell absolutely heavenly.
3. Get your basin ready. Grease your 1.2 litre pudding basin thoroughly with a little extra butter. Pop a round of baking paper in the bottom – this just makes sure your pudding turns out perfectly. Spoon all that gorgeous mixture into the basin and smooth the top.
4. Cover it securely. Take a large square of baking paper and a square of foil. Pleat them both in the centre (this gives the pudding room to rise). Place them over the basin, foil on top, and tie string tightly around the rim to hold it all in place. Trim off any excess paper. You’re building a little steam capsule!

The Long Steam (About 4 hours)

5. Set up your steamer. Place a small upturned plate or a pastry cutter in the bottom of your large saucepan. Sit the pudding basin on top. Now, carefully pour in enough freshly boiled water from the kettle so it comes halfway up the sides of the basin.
6. Steam gently. Put the lid on the pan and let it simmer steadily. You’ll need to check every so often and top up with more boiling water so it doesn’t dry out. After about 4 hours, your kitchen will smell like Christmas and the pudding will be firm and cooked through.
7. Cool and store for the big day. Carefully lift the basin out of the water. Let the Christmas pudding cool completely. Once cool, put on fresh paper and foil, and store it in a cool, dark cupboard until Christmas Day. The wait is the hardest part!

Re-heating & Serving (About 2 hours on the day)

8. Steam it again to serve. On Christmas Day, simply re-steam your pudding for about 2 hours, using the same plate-in-a-pan method, until it’s piping hot all the way through.
9. Whip up the rum cream. While the pudding steams, make the easy rum cream. Put the double cream, rum, brown sugar, vanilla paste, and a tiny pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk it until it just holds soft, luscious peaks. Taste it – you might want a dash more rum!
10. Turn out and enjoy. Run a knife around the edge of the pudding, place a serving plate on top, and flip it over with confidence. Lift off the basin, peel away the paper, and serve in generous slices with a big dollop of that spiked cream. Pure bliss.

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Suggested Wine Pairing

Pairing wine with this rich, spiced steamed Christmas pudding is a joy. You want a wine with sweetness to match the dried fruit and light brown muscovado sugar, and enough body to stand up to the dark rum and spice. A good pudding wine, dessert wine, or fortified wine works beautifully. Here are three fantastic and affordable pudding wine picks from UK supermarkets.

M&S Classics Rich Pedro Ximénez Sherry (£8, M&S) This is a classic pudding partner. It’s incredibly rich and syrupy, packed with flavours of raisins, dates, and treacle that mirror the dried fruit and muscovado sugar in the Christmas pudding perfectly. A drizzle over the pudding itself is also heavenly!

Morrisso*ns The Best Australian Muscat (£7.50, Morrisso*ns) A luscious and affordable dessert wine. It’s full of ripe, raisiny sweetness and a touch of spice, making it a wonderful match for the dense fruitcake texture and mixed spice in the pudding. A great all-round dessert wine.

Lidl Stonegate Special Release Cream Sherry (£5.49, Lidl) A brilliant value fortified wine. It offers sweet, nutty, and caramelised flavours that complement the ground almonds and brown sugar in the recipe. Its smooth, rich character holds up beautifully to the dark rum notes.

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What can you serve with this

1. Custard – A proper pouring custard, homemade or a good quality shop-bought one, adds a lovely creamy, vanilla dimension that soaks into the pudding.
2. Brandy Butter – For the ultimate festive hit, a dollop of cold, spiked brandy butter melting over the warm pudding is hard to beat.
3. Vanilla Ice Cream – The contrast of cold, creamy ice cream with the warm, spiced pudding is simply glorious.
4. A Cup of Tea or Coffee – A strong black coffee or a good brew helps to cut through the richness and makes the whole experience last longer.

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FAQs for Steamed Christmas Pudding

• Can I make a Christmas pudding without alcohol? Yes, you can. Simply replace the dark rum with the same amount of orange juice, apple juice, or even a stout for a non-alcoholic but flavourful soak.
• How far in advance can I make Christmas pudding? You can make it months in advance! Ideally, make it 4 to 6 weeks before Christmas to allow the flavours to mature. Some people make theirs a year ahead.
• Can I reheat Christmas pudding in the microwave? You can. Remove all wrappings, place a slice on a microwave-safe plate, and heat on high for 45-60 seconds. Steaming is better for the whole pudding, but the microwave is fine for leftovers.
• Why is my Christmas pudding dry? This usually happens if it’s steamed for too long without enough water in the pan, or if the basin isn’t covered properly, letting steam escape. Always keep the water topped up with boiling water.
• Can I freeze Christmas pudding? Absolutely. Once cooled, wrap it tightly in cling film and foil. It will keep for up to a year. Thaw overnight before re-steaming.
• What can I use instead of a pudding basin? A sturdy, heatproof ceramic or metal bowl of a similar size will work. Just make sure you can cover it securely with foil and string.
• Do you have to light Christmas pudding with brandy? No, it’s traditional but optional. To flame it, warm a few tablespoons of brandy in a ladle, set it alight, and pour it over the hot pudding just as you bring it to the table.

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Nutri-score Health Check

This recipe scores a D on the Nutri-Score scale. The Nutri-Score is a five-colour system from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy). It’s a guide, not a strict rule, especially for celebratory foods like this.

The score is automatically calculated from the ingredients in the recipe. For this steamed Christmas pudding, the score is determined by its high energy (calorie) density and its content of sugars and saturated fat.

Positive Factors

The recipe contains positive elements like dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, prunes) which contribute fibre and nutrients, and ground almonds which add healthy fats and a little protein.

Negative Factors

The score is lowered by ingredients high in sugars and saturated fats, including light brown muscovado sugar, the natural sugars in the dried fruit, double cream in the rum cream, and butter.

Remember, this is a special treat for Christmas. Enjoy a slice with your loved ones—it’s all about balance and celebration!