Vegetarian Christmas Pudding

Looking to get ahead of your Christmas food preparation? Our vegetarian Christmas Pudding recipe can be made in advance to allow the flavours to fully develop and mature. Traditionally, Christmas Puddings are prepared on Stir Up Sunday, which is the last Sunday before Advent, with each member of the family giving the mixture a stir and making a wish. If you would like to make a Vegan Christmas Pudding, simply omit the egg from this recipe and for a Gluten Free Christmas Pudding, use 170g of Gluten Free Flour and 115g of ground almonds or ground walnuts. Once steamed for six hours in either a steam oven, steam combination oven or on the hob, leave to cool fully and re-cover the pudding basin with fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Store in a dry, cool, dark place until the big day! We like to serve ours with vanilla infused custard, which is prepared at a precise 90°C in the steam oven, which removes the risk of curdling and ensures a perfectly thick velvety sauce every time

Method

1. Sift the flour and mixed spice into a large bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs, suet, sugar and nuts. Add the fruits and citrus zest, make a well in the centre and pour in the orange juice, brandy, beaten eggs and treacle. Combine thoroughly. Gradually add the stout, mixing until a smooth dropping consistency is obtained. Cover the bowl and leave to stand overnight.

2. The following day, lightly butter a 1.2L/ 2 pint pudding basin and fill with the mixture, packing it down firmly. Cover the basin with greaseproof paper and foil. Set your Miele Steam Oven to 100°C and steam for 6 hours. Alternatively, select the Automatic programme on your Steam Combination Oven for Christmas Pudding and follow the instructions in the display.

3. Once cooked, re-cover the basin with fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Store in a dry, cool, dark place until required. Reheat in your Steam Oven at 100ºC or Miele Sous Chef Warming Drawer at 85°C for 60-90 minutes before serving or use your built in temperature probe to re-heat the pudding to a core temperate of above 82°C.