Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe (2024)

Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe (1)

There is only 41 days till Christmas and I am hoping that I’m not the only one who is going into panic by this thought? I feel I have every reason to panic though as this year is the first time I am ever throwing Christmas…*gulp* and for 6 people *double gulp*. If you are anything like me (especially when it comes to food) everything has to be just right. The stress is already kicking in so I am trying to get organised as early as possible. Silly things on my list includecounting the cutlery, yep, only moving into my own home this year I don’t think I quite have enough cutlery yet – if it’s your first Christmas too, check you have enough. I have got a table cloth, enough plates, bowls and candles ready, and now the Christmas pudding, Yipee!

Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe (3)

Being organised does help relieve the stress, so here’s a helping hand with a recipe with a twist I have created with Waitrose that you can make now and keep till Christmas (I wish I could do that with all the food prep). The ingredients list may look scary but this is such an easy peasy pudding to prepare, all you need is time. This fig, orange and almond pudding isn’t your ordinary traditional pudding, slightly more sticky, indulgent, with a burst of orange, and luxurious almonds. It is a great way to finish your Christmas meal. I decided on the flavours down to my picky boyfriend. Like my Dad, he isn’t over keen on dried fruit, especially currents. This time of year I know he loves oranges and Clementines and he is always snacking on almonds. When I was trying to think of traditions at Christmas time two things came to mind. Firstly, Figgy pudding. We all sing the song about Figgy pudding but figs have seemed to be forgotten about at Christmas time. Secondly, stir up Sunday, a tradition where you make your Christmas pudding and everyone in the family takes a turn to stir (apparently it’s the stirring and soaking that make a Christmas pudding). So there you have it, a traditional yet modern take on classic Christmas pudding. If this doesn’t take your fancy check out some more alternative Christmas Pudding ideas on the Waitrose page here. Not in the spirit of Christmas yet? Just wait until you smell this pudding in the making, it is divine.

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Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe

Author:CookBakeEat

Prep time:

Cook time:

Total time:

Serves:6

Ingredients

  • 110g Sultanas
  • 110g Raisins
  • 100g Currents
  • 175g Dried Figs (roughly chopped)
  • 3 x Zest of an Orange
  • 40g Candied Orange Peel
  • Juice of 3 Oranges
  • 1 Tablespoon Dark Rum
  • 100ml Cointreau Liquor (plus another good dash for the end)
  • 110g Vegetable Suet
  • 4 Slices of White Bread (blitzed into breadcrumbs)
  • 1 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
  • 225g Dark Brown Sugar
  • 40g Almonds (roughly chopped)
  • 50g Self Raising Flour
  • 2 Eggs
  • Pinch of Nutmeg

Instructions

  1. In a bowl mix together the sultanas, raisins, currents, chopped dried figs, candied orange peel and the zest of one orange.
  2. Pour over the Cointreau, dark rum and juice of one orange. Give it a really good mix, cover the bowl and leave over night (I continued to mixed the soaked fruit everry now and then, before bed and as soon as I woke up).
  3. In the same bowl add the suet, breadcrumbs, mixed spice, dark brown sugar, chopped almonds, flour, eggs and nutmeg. Give it all a good mix.
  4. Finally add the 2 remaining juices of orange and the zest. Again give it all a good mix.
  5. I left this mixture covered and in the fridge over night, you can do that or you can cook straight away.
  6. Line a 2 pint pudding bowl with butter and a little grease proof paper at the bottom.
  7. Before tipping your mixture into the pudding bowl, make sure it is a sloppy consistency. Add a dash of Cointreau to loosen it up if needed.
  8. Pour in your mixture making it nicely packed in to the bowl. Cover the bowl with greaseproof paper and tin foil. I tied mine with string to make the cover secure but some pudding bowls come with lids.
  9. Put the pudding into a pan of hot water (about ¼ full - so it is touching the outside of the pudding bowl) and steam cook with a lid on for 5 - 6 hours. Make sure you check that water does not evaporate and top up when needed.
  10. Once cooked, leave to cool and change the lid (a new piece of tin foil will do). Your pudding will keep for around 2 months until Christmas. Heat up the same way as you steam cooked it for around 2 hours. Enjoy with lashings of orange flavoured white sauce.
Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe (4)

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Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe was last modified: July 10th, 2017 by Emma Thompson

Orange, Fig and Almond Christmas Pudding Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What alcohol is best for Christmas pudding? ›

Brandy works wonderfully well and we've added more punch by infusing it with fantastically festive flavourings.

Why is my Christmas pudding not dark? ›

After the first 5 hours of steaming the puddings may not look that dark but do not worry as the colour deepens on the second steaming.

What is the difference between figgy pudding and Christmas pudding? ›

Figgy Pudding

“Now bring us some figgy pudding” is the well-known refrain of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas." So, here it is. This seasonal favorite is essentially the same as a Christmas pudding but with the sweet addition of – wait for it – figs.

Is it too late to make Christmas pudding? ›

Is it too late to make a Christmas pudding? No! It's not too late. Traditional Christmas puddings are made at least 5 weeks before Christmas to develop the rich, deep flavours, and they take hours and hours of soaking and boiling to prepare.

Does alcohol burn off in Christmas pudding? ›

Once burning, the heat generated warms the liquid alcohol in the pudding, creating more vapour until eventually there is no more alcohol left to vapourise.

What can I use instead of brandy in Christmas pudding? ›

We would tend to err on the side of using a spirit with a higher alcohol content (such as rum or whisky) but a fortified wine with a long shelf life, such as a sweet Marsala or Madiera could also be used.

Can I eat a 10 year old Christmas pudding? ›

Any pudding using fresh fruit for moisture will go off more quickly, whereas a Christmas pudding soaked in booze with high sugar and dried fruit content will last much longer. Some Christmas puddings, made with dried fruit in the traditional way, are fine to be eaten as much as two years after they were made.

Which supermarket has the best Christmas puddings? ›

  • King George Christmas Pudding, 1.36kg. ...
  • George's Classic Christmas Pudding. ...
  • M&S Collection Christmas Pudding 12-Month Matured. ...
  • No. ...
  • Asda Extra Special 12-Month Matured Luxury Christmas Pudding 400g. ...
  • Morrisons The Best 18 Month Matured Christmas Pudding. ...
  • Specially Selected Sticky Toffee Christmas Pudding 800g.
Nov 30, 2023

What is the superstition about Christmas pudding? ›

Superstitions say that Christmas pudding must be prepared with 13 ingredients, which are said to represent Jesus and his twelve disciples. It is also said that the mixture should be stirred in turn from east to west, by each family member, to honour the disciples' journey.

What is the old name for Christmas pudding? ›

Christmas Pudding (also known as plum pudding or figgy pudding) is a dish as famous as it is misunderstood.

What is the sixpence in Christmas pudding? ›

The Christmas sixpence

A silver sixpence was placed into the pudding mix and every member of the household gave the mix a stir. Whoever found the sixpence in their own piece of the pudding on Christmas Day would see it as a sign that they would enjoy wealth and good luck in the year to come.

Does spam make figgy pudding? ›

SPAM® Figgy Pudding brings a blend of warm spices and seasonal ingredients that will be the star in many wintertime recipe favorites. With notes of cinnamon and nutmeg combined with fig and orange flavors, you'll taste true holiday comfort that will have you caroling all season long.

What is the oldest Christmas pudding? ›

The tinned pudding is believed to be one of the oldest in the world. A 120-year-old Christmas pudding given to Royal Navy sailors fighting in the Boer War has gone on display.

Can I use butter instead of suet in Christmas pudding? ›

If you or someone in your family is a vegetarian and doesn't want to eat suet, look for a recipe that uses butter or margarine instead, such as this recipe for individual Christmas puddings.

Can you eat 3 year old Christmas pudding? ›

I would and have eaten Christmas puddings at least that far out of date, it'll be fine. Sniff test. We ate the top tier of our wedding cake at my DD's christening which was 4 years later! All absolutely fine.

What spirit is traditionally served with Christmas pudding? ›

Once turned out of its basin, decorated with holly, doused in brandy (or occasionally rum), and flamed (or "fired"), the pudding is traditionally brought to the table ceremoniously, and greeted with a round of applause.

Is Christmas pudding made with whiskey or brandy? ›

The pudding is dark and can be saturated with whiskey or brandy, dark beer, or other alcohols. They used to be boiled in a “pudding cloth,” but today they are usually made in pudding bowls.

Can you use whiskey instead of brandy in Christmas pudding? ›

You can use any other high alcohol liquor that you have to hand for flaming the pudding (though not a fortified wine, such as port) and cognac/brandy and whisky are often traditional choices. Port could be used for soaking the fruits for the pudding but make sure it is a sweet variety of port.

What alcohol is good to soak Christmas cake in? ›

You can use whiskey, rum, brandy, amaretto etc but you can honestly just pick your favourite, the cheapest, the nicest, etc… it's entirely up to you. You mix the alcohol into the fruit at the start of making the Christmas cake, and then you use it to feed the cake until you eat it.

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