Matt Preston’s Christmas pudding with brandy custard

Name: Christmas pudding with brandy custard recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 285 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2/3 cup (100g) plain flour; 1 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice; 50g each brown and dark brown sugar; 200g dried suet mix (from supermarkets); 100g fresh white sourdough breadcrumbs; 200g apple; 175g currants; 225g sultanas; 225g seedless raisins; 100g each dried cranberries and whole blanched almonds, finely chopped; 75g each dried apricots, pitted prunes and dried sour cherries (or whole dried cranberries), finely chopped; 2 tsp each finely grated orange zest and lemon zest; 1 tbs each treacle, orange juice, lemon juice and brandy; 1/3 cup (80ml) Guinness or stout; 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten; 100g unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled; 600ml thickened cream; 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped, pod discarded; 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar; 3 large egg yolks; 30.00 ml cornflour; 2 tbs brandy

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Matt Preston’s Christmas pudding with brandy custard

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by Matt Preston

delicious. senior editor

Dec 12, 2019

No Christmas pudding is complete without generous lashings of brandy custard. See the recipe notes for some handy tips!

You’ll need to start this recipe at least 7 hours ahead (see recipe notes), and you’ll need a 2L-capacity ceramic pudding bowl.

2/3 cup (100g) plain flour
1 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice
50g each brown and dark brown sugar
200g dried suet mix (from supermarkets)
100g fresh white sourdough breadcrumbs
1 (200g) large green apple, peeled, coarsely grated
175g currants
225g sultanas
225g seedless raisins
100g each dried cranberries and whole blanched almonds, finely chopped
75g each dried apricots, pitted prunes and dried sour cherries (or whole dried cranberries), finely chopped
2 tsp each finely grated orange zest and lemon zest
1 tbs each treacle, orange juice, lemon juice and brandy
1/3 cup (80ml) Guinness or stout
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
100g unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

Brandy custard (makes 3 cups/750ml)

600ml thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped, pod discarded
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tbs cornflour
2 tbs brandy

Method

1.

Grease a 2L-capacity ceramic pudding basin, then line base with a small round of baking paper.
2.

Sift the flour and spices into a very large bowl. Add sugars, suet, breadcrumbs, apple, dried fruit, almonds and zests and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined. Place remaining ingredients in a large jug and use a fork to mix together until well combined, then add to the fruit mixture and stir until well combined (the batter will be thick).
3.

Tip the batter into the prepared basin and, using slightly damp hands (as the mixture is sticky), firmly press down into the basin and to level the surface. Top batter with a round of baking paper to cover, then use two stacked and lightly scrunched pieces of baking paper to cover over the top of the pudding bowl. Follow with two stacked and doubled pieces of foil to cover completely. Secure the paper and foil to the side of the bowl using a very long and thick piece of strong kitchen twine to wrap around the edge, making sure it catches underneath the lip of the basin side to secure the twine in place. Use the remaining twine to create a handle over the top of the basin.
4.

Place a small upturned saucer into the base of a large stockpot and fill one-quarter full with kettle-boiled water. Place over a medium-high heat, and using your twine handle, gently lower your pudding onto the plate in the pot. The water level needs to come three-quarters up the side of the pudding bowl, so remove or add more kettle-boiled water if needed. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and allow pudding to gently simmer, covered and topped up with extra kettle-boiled water as needed, for 6 hours, or until the pudding is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5.

Using your twine handle, carefully remove pudding from the pot to a wire rack and stand for 15 minutes before inverting the pudding out onto a serving plate.
6.

Meanwhile, as the pudding stands and for the brandy custard, place cream and vanilla seeds in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Place sugar, egg yolks, cornflour and brandy in a large heatproof bowl and whisk to combine, then gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Strain mixture back into the same pan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until thickened. Pour into a serving jug (see recipe notes).
7.

Serve the warm pudding with warm brandy custard.

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Recipe Notes

The steamed pudding can be stored for up to 3 months. Once pudding basin has been removed from pot, cool to room temperature then cover entire basin tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required. Before serving, prepare your pot the same way again. Bring pudding to room temperature and then steam for 1 hour to reheat. If you have a microwave, invert pudding onto a microwave safe plate and cover with a double layer of plastic wrap. Microwave on medium-high in 2 minute bursts for 10-12 minutes or until heated through evenly.

The brandy custard can be made up to 2 days ahead. Once cooked, transfer to a large heatproof jug and cover surface of custard directly with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Cool to room temperature, then chill until required. Reheat in a medium saucepan over a low heat and whisk constantly until heated through, adding a little water to loosen, if necessary.