Sponsored post for The Royal Mint
The Royal Mint Christmas Pudding is packed with traditional ingredients including currants, raisins, sultanas, almonds brandy, citrus zest, and dark chocolate. Make this luxurious Christmas pudding with your kids on Stir-up Sunday!
The countdown to Christmas is on and this year I have been commissioned by The Royal Mint to share with you their very own Christmas Pudding recipe (created by Rachel Walker, Food Editor at The Sunday Times). The tradition of the Christmas Pudding dates back to the Victorian era when Prince Albert introduced the idea.
Up and down the land families would gather on Stir-Up Sunday (the last Sunday before Advent) and take turns to stir the pudding, adding a silver sixpence and making a wish before steaming it.
I remember my English grandmother’s Christmas Puddings and always hoped to find the sixpence in my bowl as it was a sign of good luck for the rest of the year!
Str-Up Sunday falls on 20th November this year (2016) so you have plenty of time to order your silver sixpence from The Royal Mint (order by 16th November).
Steeped in history The Royal Mint has been minting coins for over 1,000 years.
From the 13th century they were based at The Tower of London for 500 years. They moved onto Tower Hill in 1812 and have been in their current location in South Wales since 1967.
As well as providing millions of coins to the domestic market (circulative and commemorative) each year The Royal Mint also produces billions of coinage and blanks around the world.
Currently, it meets 15% of global demand, making it the world’s leading export mint!
When I grew up we didn’t have this tradition of Christmas Pudding making and Stir-Up Sunday in our house as my mother is Danish. There was plenty of baking done in the run-up to Christmas but none of it involved pudding.
The traditional Christmas pudding in Denmark is a rich and creamy Risalamande (Rice Pudding) with Cherry Sauce and a whole almond is traditionally hidden in it.
The lucky finder wins a prize. I can’t tell you the amount of pudding I ate as a child to try to get that almond – I didn’t even like it back then but now I love it!
I remember one year we were having Christmas in Denmark and one of the prizes was a huge marzipan pig. Being a marzipan addict I was on a mission to win.
However, it wasn’t to be as my Danish grandpa found the almond and chose a box of cigars as his prize.
So making this Christmas Pudding was a first in our household and I decided to let my daughter take the lead and I was her assistant.
We had great fun stirring up the pudding; spending quality time with my daughter and teaching her all about this Christmas tradition was lovely.
We both made a wish when The Royal Mint silver six pence went in (the boys were out, otherwise we’d have got them to come and have a stir and a wish too)!
In fact, it was so much fun that I want to do this again next year and might even try and replicate my English grandmother’s old Christmas Pudding that I sadly never got the recipe for.
So, if you’ve never made your own Christmas Pudding on Stir-Up Sunday, I hope you will have a go this year with your family. I can’t tell you how much it put us in the Christmas mood.
Alternatively, if you do make Christmas Puddings but are looking for a change, then I can thoroughly recommend The Royal Mint’s delicious recipe.
More Christmas Recipes
Here are some more festive recipes for you to try!
- Christmas Bundt Cake
- Crispy Clementine Cookies
- Cheat’s Mince Pies with a secret twist
- Stollen Croissants
- Christmas Soda Bread
- Christmas Coffee Truffles
- Risalamande – Traditional Danish Rice Pudding with Cherry Sauce
- Chocolate Orange Panettone Pudding
- Christmas Jam
Check out how Helen of Casa Costello got on with making her Christmas Pudding with her daughters and also Grace of Eats Amazing’s Gran’s Traditional Christmas Pudding.
Pin for later!
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
The Royal Mint Christmas Pudding & Stir-Up Sunday
Equipment
- The Royal Mint Six Pence
- 1 litre pudding/heat proof bowl
- Greaseproof paper
- Large elastic band
- String
- Stock pot
- Steamer basket/deep saucer/ramekin
- Tin foil
Ingredients
- 170 g sultanas
- 140 g currants
- 140 g raisins
- 200 ml water
- 30 g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground mace
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 55 g breadcrumbs
- 85 g shredded suet (vegetable fine) if you cannot get hold of suet, softened butter works just as well
- 40 g dark chocolate 70%, grated
- 1 cooking apple peeled and grated
- 85 g soft dark brown sugar
- 20 g chopped mixed peel
- 55 g blanched almonds roughly chopped
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 orange zested
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 knob of butter for greasing
Instructions
- Put the sultanas, currants and raisins in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, and simmer for three minutes. Leave to soak, uncovered, overnight.
- Sift the flour and spices into a mixing bowl.
- Add the breadcrumbs, suet or butter, grated chocolate, grated apple, brown sugar, mixed peel, almonds, lemon and orange zest.
- Mix well, using your hands to get rid of any lumps of butter and ensuring the mixture is fully blended together.
- Stir in the soaked fruit, which will have plumped-up overnight. Next, stir in the treacle, brandy and beaten egg.
- Mix well, and stand overnight. While this isn’t necessary, the marinating helps the spices soak in. Before you’re ready to cook, stir in the Royal Mint Six Pence. It’s traditional for everyone to give the pudding a turn with a wooden spoon at this stage, and make a wish.
- Use the knob of butter to grease the pudding bowl, and tip the Christmas pudding mixture into it.
- Cut one circle of greaseproof paper, which is a few inches bigger than the rim of the bowl. Use a large elastic band to secure it over the pudding bowl with a folded pleat running through the middle. This will allow room for the pudding to release excess steam. Cover the top with a piece of tin foil (same size as the greaseproof paper) and then tie it tightly with the string.
- Make a loop of string across the top, to fashion a handle, so the pudding can be easily lifted in and out of the pan.
- If you are using a steaming pot, pour some water into the bottom of the stock pot – about one eighth full – so that the steamer basket sits in the bottom, just above the water level. Bring the water to the boil, and place the Christmas pudding in the basket.
- If you don’t have a steamer basket, simply use the upturned saucer or ramekin so that the pudding basin is kept away from direct contact with the base of the pan. Then fill the stock pot with water to around half-way up the side of the pudding basin.
- Put on the lid, and steam at a gentle simmer for four hours. Keep an eye on the water to make sure that the pan doesn’t boil dry, and add more water from the kettle to keep it topped-up if needed.
- If the lid of the stock pot doesn’t fit on tightly, it’s not ideal, but not disastrous – as long as there’s plenty of steam circulating. Keep an even more careful eye on water levels though, as a loosely covered pot is more likely to boil dry.
- Lift the pudding out of the pan after four hours, making sure you keep the greaseproof lid on – that way you can store the Christmas pudding for up to two months.
- On Christmas Day, steam the pudding again for another two hours, and serve – perhaps with a sprig of holly on top, and a splash of brandy (and then light with a match).
Notes
NB: This is a commissioned post for The Royal Mint for which I was paid and all opinions are my own.
Sanfi
Hi Camilla,
One last question. I also have a regular pudding tin that has a very tight lid. Is it better to use the lid or the paper and foil.
Thank you.
Camilla
Hi Sanfi, I’m not au fait with pudding tins, in the UK we use glass or plastic pudding basins, I’ve never seen a pudding cooked in a tin. A very tight lid sounds like a no no as the steam needs to escape from the pudding as it cooks which is where the paper and foil come into play.
Sandi
Can I switch some of the raisins for medjool dates or dried cherries.
Thanks
Camilla
Hi Sandi, yes feel free to swap any dried fruit for others.
Sandi Lusk
Hi this is Sandi from Canada. I have a pudding tin that looks like and angel food cake tube pan inside. Can I use this
Also, can this be made by boilingbin a pudding cloth instead of in a tin?
Thank you and stay safe. Happy Stir-Up Sunday
Camilla
Hi again Sandi, if your tin has a hole in I’d say no, don’t use that. A Pyrex bowl would be better or similar. With regard to boiling, I’ve never done this but see that there are recipes on the net that use this method so you could by all means use my recipe with another method. Just make sure that the quantities are similar so that it cooks OK.
Elizabeth
Gosh this looks good! I’ve never made my own Christmas pudding before. Will have to try this year!
Camilla
Thanks Elizabeth, nor had I:-)
Ren Behan
I can practically smell that delicious-looking Christmas pudding Camilla – what a beauty! I also really love the sound of the Danish Christmas dessert…
Camilla
Thank you Ren, we had great fun making it:-)
Katie Bryson
I have to say I wasn’t a huge fan of Christmas Pudding as a child, but the older I get the more likely I am to have a wee sliver of it with some brandy butter on Christmas Day. My mum and her partner are coming to us for Christmas this year, so we’ll definitely be putting it on the menu as they love it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Camilla
Thanks Katie, yes it’s amazing how our tastes change over the years!
Jen Walshaw
We had lots of fun making this year’s Christmas Pudding. Now the boys want to see who will get the sixpence!
Camilla
Fab Jen,it’s such a lovely thing to do together:-)
Kavey
Oooh lovely, and with the traditional coin from the Royal Mint as well! Looks lush!
Camilla
Thanks Kavey, yes the silver six pence makes all the difference:-)
Richard Eldred Hawes
I remember stir-up Sunday, as a child we used to stir the pudding 3 times and make a wish
Camilla
Excellent Richard, I can only remember eating the pudding at my grandparents’!
Laura Tovey
Lovely, look forward to trying this recipe, it sounds fantastic!
Camilla
Great Laura, I’m sure you’ll love it:-)
Paul Wilson
Oo, I’ve not tried chocolate in my Christmas Puddings before, have to give it a go.
Camilla
Yes do Paul:-)
Sharon
Aw how fun! I haven’t had Christmsd pudding before but I love the tradition. I have a few traditions during the holidays too. I cannot wait to share them with my future children one day!
Camilla
It really was great fun Sharon and lovely to pass on the tradition:-)
Amanda
This recipe sounds delicious! I love the tradition behind it and that you and your daughter are keeping the tradition alive.
Camilla
Thank you Amanda, it’s such a wonderful tradition:-)
Jessy @ The Life Jolie
What a beautiful traditional Christmas dessert. I regret that I’ve never tried this before but it sounds amazing!
Camilla
Nor had I Jessy, it’s never too late:-)
Just Jo
Lovely styling on these photos Camilla – I only discovered a holly tree in the depths of our communal garden area around the Apple Chapel *after* I did my own Christmas Pud this year lol. I’ve never added chocolate to my pud before but that’s a great idea – I do it with one Christmas cake recipe so why not the pud?! Lovely post 😀
Camilla
Thank you so much Jo, I really enjoyed this post! We planned on a walk to the park to find Holly but as soon as we got to the top of our close there was Holly bush growing in our small communal garden so we didn’t have to go far. We carried on to the park anyway and found all the other berries and ivy along the way:-)
Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivated
I’ve never made my own Christmas pudding before, but yours looks so fabulous that you’ve made me really want to try it!
Camilla
Fabulous, glad to have inspired you:-)
Amanda Mason
I think this is equivalent to “fruit cake” here in the states! The ingredients look like it! Your pictures look way better than any fruit cake I’ve seen though!! Fruit cakes are a Christmas tradition here in the states…at least they were when I was a kid but that tradition seems to be declining for yrs….too bad! Yours looks beautiful!
Camilla
Thank you for your lovely comments Amanda. We do have Christmas Cake too but that is usually covered in marzipan and icing. Christmas Pudding is usually served with cream, whites sauce, ice cream or even custard. We should try to hang on to these traditions.
Renz
This pudding is pretty close to what we call black cake in the Caribbean. Having been governed by the British at one point I can see how it got mixed into our culture. Our cake has a little more flour texture than the pudding but it’s still pretty close. Love getting additional traditional info on the pudding though
Camilla
Thank you Renz, so interesting to hear about the different names for Christmas Pudding across the other side of the ocean. Yes cultures and recipes frequently cross pollinate:-)
Platter Talk
I think that this could be a welcome treat at our Christmas dinner table and maybe a new tradition! Thank you.
Camilla
Fabulous Dan, glad to have inspired you:-)
Jess
I’m not a fan of Christmas pudding but I do love hearing about all the traditions around them! I didn’t realise the Royal Mint was so old.
Camilla
Glad to have enlightened:-)
vicky hall-newman
I wish I had time and patience to make my own Christmas pudding. This looks yummy.
Camilla
It really is very simple to do:-)
Ickle Pickle
Oh this looks simply delicious. Your photos alone have me feeling all Christmassy! Kaz x
Camilla
Aaw, thank you, we felt very Christmassy too:-)
Leah
Even though I am not a fan of Christmas pudding I love the look of the recipe and would actually try and attempt it for those that do in the family if we ever did Christmas at ours in the future x
Camilla
Fabulous Leah, glad to have inspired you:-)
Sarah
I’m not a fan of Christmas pudding but I do like to have one in the house for visitors or if anyone comes over for dinner! This recipe sounds like a great one! I’d love to try making this with my family 🙂 Thanks for sharing xx
Camilla
Thank you Sarah, maybe if you made your own you’d favour it more:-) xx
dena
Never tried Christmas pudding. Cute that your daughter got involved.
Camilla
We did have fun thanks:-)
Rhian Westbury
I’m not personally a fan of Christmas pudding but my mum always makes one (with a lot of alcohol in it) at Christmas x
Jacqui Bellefontaine
A lovely look xmas pud and I too am intrigued about the chocolate. Not sure i would ever have thought of that but I can see how it would work
Camilla
Thank you Jacqui, dark chocolate does appear in lots of recipes these days as a flavour enhancer:-)
glenn hutton
This looks amazing and so moist… I think sometimes they can be very dry!
Camilla
Thank you Glenn:-)
William Gould
I remember helping my Nan make the Christmas Pudding, but I never remember finding the sixpence on Christmas Day though…
I think I also remember my Nan used to make all the family members give the pudding a stir while she was mixing it!
Camilla
Lovely William, my granny lived too far away so I never got to help with any Christmas baking with her but she made the most wonderful moist Christmas puddings and cake. I don’t remember finding the six pence either, perhaps it was a fix as they didn’t want kids choking on it:-)?
Heather Haigh
I really love Christmas pud – and one with a proper sixpence in – magic!
Camilla
Yes, great to keep this tradition alive:-)
Nadia
Sounds like a fun tradition! The Christmas pudding looks delicious and it was so sweet to let your daughter take the lead 🙂 it’s all about creating memories 😀
Camilla
Thanks Nadia, she’s a fabulous little baker so this was just her thing:-) And yes we had a lovely time doing this together, I think my biggest input was grating the chocolate and making the pudding cover:-)
Anosa
Would I be disliked if I said I don’t like Christmas Puddings? I know this one looks amazing and probably even more tasty but it was never our tradition so never really embraced them. But I love the idea of a gift for finding the silver sixpence
Camilla
We can’t all like everything, for me my only no no is blue cheese:-)
Rachel
I have never made my own Christmas Pudding but it is one of my favourite things in the world to eat x
Camilla
Well I think you should make one Rachel, it’s so easy and gets you in the festive mood:-)
Paul Wilson
I know this is heresy, but I like to do mine in the microwave instead of steaming for hours, comes out amazingly well.
Camilla
I won’t judge:-)
Paul Wilson
Glad to hear it. 🙂
Laura @ KneadWhine
I was thinking only the other day that I didn’t know where you could get a sixpence from these days!
I love the idea of finding an almond means a prize – although I think the almond itself would be a reward.
Camilla
Well that’s so fortunate Laura, now you know:-) Yes I think I’d like to add a prize to the finding of the six pence, that would be very lucky:-)
Lucy
Wow your Christmas pudding looks amazing, such a deep rich colour. I am intrigued by the addition of chocolate it must add a lovely hint of flavour.
Camilla
Thank you Lucy, the chocolate does add a subtle hint of flavour:-)