Individual Christmas puddings

Name: Individual Christmas puddings
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 100 g soft prunes; 125 g dried apricots (or use more prunes); 400 g vine fruit mix; 3 tbsp brandy, plus more to serve; 2 oranges, scrubbed, zest and juice; 2 tsp mixed spice; 50 g blanched almonds, chopped; 200 g light brown muscovado sugar; 100 g butter, softened, plus more for greasing; 2 British Blacktail Free Range Large Eggs, beaten; 75 g soft white fresh breadcrumbs; 75 g plain flour; Pourable brandy cream, to serve

Get ready for stir-up Sunday with this fruity Christmas pud recipe – ideal to give as little gifts. If you want to make a large pudding instead, all the info is in the cook’s tips at the end of the recipe.

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Vegetarian

Makes8
CourseDessert
Prepare20 mins
Cook4 hrs
Total time4 hrs 20 mins
Plusovernight soaking

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Ingredients

100g soft prunes
125g dried apricots (or use more prunes)
400g vine fruit mix
3 tbsp brandy, plus more to serve
2 oranges, scrubbed, zest and juice
2 tsp mixed spice
50g blanched almonds, chopped
200g light brown muscovado sugar
100g butter, softened, plus more for greasing
2 British Blacktail Free Range Large Eggs, beaten
75g soft white fresh breadcrumbs
75g plain flour
Pourable brandy cream, to serve

Method

Chop the prunes and apricots into small pieces, about the size of a sultana. Place in a large bowl with the vine fruit. Pour over the brandy, orange zest and juice and mix well, then cover and leave overnight until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the remaining ingredients and beat until well combined. Grease 8x175ml individual pudding basins, then line the base of each with a disc of baking parchment. Spoon the pudding mixture evenly between each basin.
Cover each basin with a pleated piece of buttered foil (the fold allows for expansion), with the buttered sides facing the puddings. Fold the foil over the edges of the basins and tie with kitchen string so no steam escapes.
Arrange the basins in the base of a steamer, then put it on top of a saucepan filled with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes. Check the water level regularly, as it will need to be topped up with hot water to prevent the pan from boiling dry.
Allow the puddings to cool, then discard the foil and replace with new pieces. Store in the fridge or freezer for up to a month. To reheat the puddings on Christmas Day, steam or simmer in water for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, until piping hot (or use the microwave, see tips) Turn out onto warm plates, carefully flambé with brandy, then serve with the brandy cream.

Cook’s tip

If you don’t have a steamer, cook these little puddings in the slow cooker. Pour in enough just-boiled water to come halfway up the sides of the puddings. Simmer on high for 4-6 hours, until cooked through and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. They can also be reheated in the slow cooker.