Written by Miriam Published on in , Festive
Here is a recipe for a magnificent Christmas pudding, that will warm the heart, and get you fully into the Yuletide spirit – one of giving and sharing. At least that is what it symbolizes to me – centering oneself on the barometer of good spirit, and the renewal of hope, compassion and benevolence towards all living things. And Christmas time for us is all about that.
This pudding is legendary because of all the love and yummy ingredients imparted and infused in it. It’s like a sweet marriage of everything that lights our hearts and rewards our palettes – a good and wholesome pudding, and a wonderful, cholesterol-free one too. If I may finally add, it’s traditional in its flavour, although over the years I have perfected it to this one. It’s certainly made with LOVE. Here it is :
TIP : Serve with hot, dairy-free custard and/or dairy-free cream (either soya cream, or a nut cream of your choice). For re-heating, drizzle on some more brandy, and set on fire if you wish. This may be repeated each time you re-heat it. If you are making this in advance, be sure to pour a little brandy over it every few days – this will enrich the flavour, and ensure it doesn’t dry up.
Makes 1 2 pint pudding, and a small ½ pint one (we always have to have a baby one on the go – that way there is no risk of breaking into the main large one. I have learnt from experience that this always pays off).
Here is a US Conversion Table for those of you who may need it http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grams-to-ounces.htm
INGREDIENTS
- 350gm black raisins
- 150gm Australian Sultanas (any other will do)
- 100gm currants
- 100gm cranberries
- 2 cups Amontillado Sherry
- 4 tbsp cognac
- 4 tbsp candied peel
- 200gm ground almonds
- 100gm chopped almonds
- 120gm wholemeal & plain flour mixed
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp mixed/all spice
- ½ tsp ground aniseed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 215gm muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp treacle
- 120gm wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 250gm vegetable suet
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- zest & juice of 1 clementine
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1½ tbsp date syrup or treacle
- 1 cup of non-dairy milk – I used nut milk
- Here is a US Conversion Table for anybody out there who may need it http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grams-to-ounces.htm
METHOD
Grease your 2 pint and ½ pint pudding basins, and set aside. Meanwhile, place your dried fruit in a glass bowl, and soak with the sherry. Cover, and let this stand overnight – you may wish to stir it before you go to bed so that all the sherry will have soaked itself properly into the fruit.
The following day, place the ground almonds and the other dried ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste for sweetness, and mix again, until your mixture is soft and blended. Then spoon into your ready greased basins.
Now cover your bowls with greaseproof paper, and tighten string around the lip of the bowl. Then add a further layer of aluminium foil, and, again, secure it by tying string round the lip of the bowl.
Place the pudding bowls in saucepans that are large enough for you to lift the bowls out of, and add enough hot water to cover half the height of the pudding bowls. Cover and steam on a low heat for 4½ hours, keeping an eye on them periodically to ensure there is enough water – if not, top the water up. Enjoy !
All recipes, content & design © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
These are free recipes for your pleasure – all we ask in return is that you take a few moments to leave a constructive comment !
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39 Comments
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November 27, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Good day Miriam; You post the best recipes!! I would love to try this recipe but do not know what “wholemeal flour” or “wholemealbread crumbs” are? Is that the same as “whole wheat”?? Is treacle like molasses??
Thanks! Dana Pinder
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Miriam
November 27, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Hi there Dana and welcome to my site. Thanks for your wonderful comment. Wholewheat flour is what you need to use. Treacle is very similar to molasses yes. Cheers and enjoy and let me know how it goes.
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Elijah
December 8, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Hello is this the sort of cake you keep over the month and feed booze?
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Miriam
December 8, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Hi Elijah,
This is not actually a cake, but a Xmas pudding – I would top it up with brandy every couple of days, and it should be perfect by Christmas Day ! Store in a cool place. Cheers. -
Kristi
December 8, 2011 at 4:25 pm
can’t get blackcurrants here in my part of the US. Could you suggest a substitute?
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Miriam
December 8, 2011 at 5:20 pm
You could use black raisins instead. Cheers.
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Donna Vanneman
January 11, 2012 at 9:07 am
What is “vegetable suet”? I’m new to vegan cooking….where do you get it in USA? Is it a UK thing?
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Miriam
January 11, 2012 at 9:57 am
Hi Donna, vegetable suet is a vegan alternative to traditional suet. It is widely available in the UK, but you can also buy it online from Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Atora-Light-Shredded-Vegetable-7-05ozs/dp/B003V0IK6C. Good luck and best to you.
See AlsoWhoopie Pie History and Recipe | What's Cooking AmericaRich, Moist Brownie RecipesALMOND COOKIES traditional Sicilian recipe with Maraschino cherriesThe easy home cooking recipes behind Mary Berry's new BBC show -
Kim
September 29, 2012 at 5:01 pm
I’m so pleased to have found this recipe! I’ve recently taken the Vegan Society “vegan pledge” and HOPE never to return to believing that vegetarianism is enough. But I had looked forward to making my first home-made Christmas pudding this year; now I don’t have to miss out or compromise. Thank you for making the change to a more compassionate life so easy and enjoyable X
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Miriam
September 29, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Kim Hi there and welcome here. Congratulations for your new path and a huge kudos to you for choosing a Vegan lifestyle, you won’t regret it, of that I am pretty sure. I am glad you have dropped by here with your comment and as and when you make this for Xmas do pop by with your comment. I have a couple of roasts that might take your fancy, so do by all means browse my blog and indulge ! Very best wishes your way dear Kim !
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sande
November 25, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Delicious….. I don’t celebrat xmas, but I have had a few attempts at DIY puds…..as i like the food! I shall have to try this version out.
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Miriam
November 25, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Sande Hi there and thanks for dropping by here. Quite a few people don’t celebrate Xmas, but love the food and sharing experience of it, nothing wrong with that. The pudding in it’s own right is great, so feel free to make it and let me know how it goes. Serve with homemade custard and/or cold cashew cream. Enjoy !
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Mirian de Meneses Costa
November 25, 2012 at 9:22 pm
This looks wonderful – thanks for sharing the recipe! Will try to make it without some ingredientes which cannot be found in my country (Brazil).
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Miriam
November 26, 2012 at 10:04 am
Hi there Mirian, perhaps you can substitute some of the ingredients with others, given that it is a dried fruit based pudding ! Best wishes your way and let me know how it all goes as and when.
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Deb
December 5, 2012 at 11:13 am
Need American measurements! Thanks!
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Miriam
December 5, 2012 at 11:38 am
Deb here it is http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grams-to-ounces.htm this will give you the US conversion.
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Carla from NZ
December 18, 2012 at 9:08 am
Hi Miriam would there be a another replacement product for the vege suet? How about coconut oil (its a solid block one)
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Miriam
December 18, 2012 at 10:39 am
Carla Hi there and thanks for your comment. I have to be candidly honest and say I honestly do not know how the coconut oil block (I think I know the ones) will react and what the outcome would be. It’s worth a try if you cannot get hold of vegetable suet, if you are willing to take the risk, it’s more the texture rather than the taste that it may affect, or it may just be fine. Either way be sure to shred it prior to use. Good luck and let me know how it goes if so.
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Mirian de Meneses Costa
December 20, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Dear Miriam, can you please tell me the difference between raisins and currants? On the dictionary I have, they seem to be equal, whereas sultanas would be the “blond” raisins – right?
About the coconut oil for replacing vegetable suet – I believe it is impossible, coconut oil turns into a liquid at 25*C, so… I will substitute a mixture of dry (candied/crystalized?) fruit.
Thanks a lot, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Please keep on the wonderfully good work you do, sharing delicious vegan recipes! -
Miriam
December 20, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Hi there Mirian and thanks for your feedback – yes currants are similar to raisins, the size is different. The sultanas are golden/blond as you said. I was worried about using coconut oil to be honest, veg suet is what’s needed. By all means experiment with what you wish. Let me know how it goes and best wishes your way !
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Carla from NZ
December 27, 2013 at 10:12 am
SIMPLY THE BEST PUDDING RECIPE!! Infact – I did use coconut oil as the vege suet here in NZ has palm oil in it. I was really happy with with it!! The mix was very wet that was the only thing – I added about 1/2 cup more flour/breadcrumbs mixed and the pudding texture was perfect I think – my mum who always makes the xmas pudding was very impressed and said it was better than her one!!
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Miriam
December 28, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Well Carla, I am so pleased you made this and coconut oil is great with it instead of the veg suet. All the best for the New Year 2014 and to your loved ones too ! Very kind of mum to say it was better than hers, not too many mum’s would have said that ! 🙂
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Aileen Byrne
November 5, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Hi Miriam, I would like to try this vegan xmas pudding as my son is vegan, but he won’t eat any fat/oil, can it be made without the suet/fat, and what do you use to grease the bowel for cooking? Thanks,
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Miriam
November 6, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Aileen Hi there. I am afraid that a Christmas pudding without any form of plant based fat will not have the moisture which turns the fruit and flour into a pudding – why not add half the amount instead, use extra virgin coconut oil for the fat (at least it’s healthy) – one must bear in mind that 1 portion of the pudding will have so little fat in it and it is after all a Christmas treat. (our joints need lubrication particularly in the winter).
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Rosie
December 6, 2014 at 8:41 pm
If making the pudding in advance, how would you reheat?
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Miriam
December 7, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Hi Rosie, keep it in the bowl you are making it in and reheat it bain-marie style again. For re-heating portions, the microwave is the best as it heats it from the inside out. Otherwise heat portions in wrapped foil and use hot custard to pour on top of it. Hope these tips help ! 🙂
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Susannah
December 16, 2014 at 2:02 pm
Where I live there is no treacle (or molasses.) Can I use something else? What would you suggest?
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Miriam
December 21, 2014 at 10:09 am
Use the darkest brown sugar you can get your hands on Susannah, otherwise your pudding is going to lack the right colour.
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Isaak
December 27, 2014 at 7:55 am
Hello Miriam,
I am finally taking the time to email you and to thank you for the recipe you posted. I slightly changed the recipe and made the cake vegan, gluten free and sugar free, and it turned out incredibly delicious. Everyone who tried it was amazed by the taste.
I also replaced the liquor by some Grand Marnier and the vegetable suet by coconut oil. Removed the treacle as well.
You should only use coconut oil. It is the best fat you can find !!I have a small organic cafe in Brussels Belgium called Mémé Café and sold quite a few of these cakes for Xmas.
You can check the page on Facebook if you’d like.Once again thank you so much for this amazing recipe, I could not have created it by myself.
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Miriam
January 1, 2015 at 10:48 pm
So glad you made and enjoyed this pudding – we sometimes opt for coconut oil in this and indeed in many other recipes, it works wonders Will check out your page soon. Meantime best wishes to you and your loved ones too ! 🙂
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Miriam
January 1, 2015 at 10:50 pm
Check out our other page Midas Fine Art Cheeses on FB – we sell our cheeses to customers as well as Restaurants too all over Europe ! 🙂
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Hannah
January 12, 2016 at 10:40 pm
How many days in advance of Christmas do you make this?
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Miriam
January 14, 2016 at 11:53 am
You can make it even 2 weeks before so long as you give it some booze almost daily and keep it stored covered in a cool place Hannah.
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Sarah
November 17, 2016 at 9:46 am
Hi Miriam,
I’m new to your website and I don’t usually comment but I felt I needed to give thanks for putting this website out there with all these literally mouthwatering recipes! I’m looking forward to trying them and starting with this one. Never made a Christmas pud before and I hope it’s not too early already – I’m hoping its one of these things that improve with age as long as I keep steeping it. The fruit has been soaking overnight, wasn’t sure to put in the candid peel or not. On a slightly tight budget so used the booze I had left in the cupboard – not quite enough sherry for 2 cups (its white sherry), so used a splash of dark rum to bring it to the 2 cups. I have a bit of brandy for the steeping and will use that instead of cognac. Hope it works out ok!
Thank you again, looked through a lot of pud recopies and this by far looked the best 🙂 -
Miriam
November 17, 2016 at 12:16 pm
Sarah Hi there and welcome here ! Hope you make and enjoy this pudding, we’ve made and enjoyed it many a time, and am sure you’ll do fine with the ingredients you mentioned. Do let me know how it goes and hope you have a peep at the savoury dishes for Christmas too (the fruit cake is insanely good). All the best and look forward to your future comments on my blog ! 🙂
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Pingback: Vegan Christmas Dinner, Sorted! (Part 2) – Health Blog
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Sue Upton
December 7, 2016 at 11:12 am
Hi Miriam,
Thank you for the vegan Christmas pudding recipe. I am making it now after searching for the most delicious sounding recipe. Appreciate you making the effort. I am also a passionate cook and have recently been cooking and eating vegan. -
Miriam
December 9, 2016 at 10:47 am
Hi there Sue, so glad you’re making my pudding and hope it turns out to your liking ! Glad that you are extending your vegan repertoire and hope you enjoy as many recipes from my blog as you can. I look forward to your future comments and feedback on my blog ! Cheers your way ! 🙂
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Miriam Sorrell
Hi, I’m Miriam - award-winning recipe developer, photographer and author of ‘Mouthwatering Vegan’. My food is, sensual, mouthwatering and rustic, with Middle Eastern & Mediterranean flair . . .
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