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4.82 from 11 votes
Traditional Christmas pudding packed with dried fruit and candied peel, served on a festive Christmas plate with custard and gold spoons.
Print Recipe
Quick Christmas Pudding Recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Soak Time
8 hrs
Total Time
11 hrs 20 mins
 

My Easy Christmas Pudding recipe takes just 20 minutes to prep and 3 hours to steam for a rich, traditional dessert to make at the last minute.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Irish
Servings: 10 people
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
  • 3 cups (7 ½ oz/213 g) fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ oz/177 g) raisins
  • 1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ oz/177 g) sultanas
  • ¾ cup (3 ¾ oz/106 g) currants
  • ½ cup (2 oz/57 g) candied peel
  • ¼ cup (1¼ oz/35 g) blanched almonds , chopped
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple , peeled and grated (about 5 oz/142 g)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg , at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup (5 fl oz/150 ml) Irish stout , at room temperature
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) butter , melted
  • ⅓ cup (4 oz/115 g) molasses
  • ⅓ cup  (2 ½ fl oz/75 ml) whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons brandy , for serving
Instructions
To Make the Last Minute Christmas Pudding (The Day Before)

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel, almonds, apple, lemon zest and juice, mixed spice and salt. Set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, Irish stout, butter, molasses and milk.

  3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for a minimum of 8 hours.

To Steam the Last Minute Christmas Pudding (The Next Day)

  1. Butter a 2-pint pudding basin (or glass bowl) and fill with the pudding mix. Lay a circle of parchment paper directly on top of the pudding, cover tightly with foil and tie twine around the basin to create a handle. (See 'How to Steam A Christmas Pudding')

  2. Place a tall pot on the stovetop and place a steaming tray on the inside. Fill the pot with boiling water until it reaches the steaming tray, and place the basin inside. Allow the water to come to a steady boil over medium-low heat.

  3. Steam for 2 ½ - 3 hours, checking the level of the water every 20 minutes to ensure it reaches the steaming tray (add more hot water if needed). The pudding is ready when the top is evenly browned.

  4. Remove the pudding from the steamer and let it cool completely. At this point, you can store it in an airtight container in a dark cool place for up to 1 year.

To Serve the Last Minute Christmas Pudding

  1. Pour the whiskey over the pudding and light it on fire. Enjoy with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and whipped cream.

Recipe Notes
  • Change the citrus. Instead of lemon zest and juice, you can also use orange zest and juice.
  • Use salted or unsalted butter. I adore and always use salted butter. But unsalted butter will also work.
  • Toast nuts for the best flavor. Toast the nuts before adding them to the batter to enhance flavors.
  • Swap in vegan ingredients. Replace the egg with a flax egg, butter with vegan baking butter or melted, cooled coconut oil, and whole milk with full-fat, unsweetened plant-based milk.
  • Choose gluten-free breadcrumbs. Use the same amount of store-bought or homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs in place of regular breadcrumbs.
  • Skip the nuts. Replace the almonds with the same amount by weight of seeds, shredded coconut, rolled oats, chocolate chips, graham crackers, or crushed cookies.
  • Steam the pudding in a pot. I do not recommend cooking this recipe in the microwave as it’s too large to cook evenly.
  • Take care when lighting. Use a long lighter or a long match when lighting the brandy.
  • How to serve. Serve the pudding with Whipped Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Brandy Butter, or Crème Anglaise.
  • Refrigerate leftovers. Without a high amount of alcohol as a preservative (like a traditional Christmas Pudding), the leftovers of this Last Minute Pudding need to be refrigerated.