Equipment
Ingredients
Fruit & Soak
- 150 g dried tart cherries, whole
- 100 g dark raisins, whole
- 50 g crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 60 ml cream sherry
Pudding Batter
- 150 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 120 g dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs, large, room temperature
- 20 g molasses
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 80 g fresh breadcrumbs
- 8 g baking powder
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g salt
- 45 ml whole milk
Sherry Hard Sauce
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g confectioners sugar, sifted
- 30 ml cream sherry
- 1 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 672 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 96 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 65 g
- Sodium
- 402 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 142 mg
- Potassium
- 306 mg
- Calcium
- 142 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 29 mg
- Phosphorus
- 130 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 286 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 33 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small bowl, combine dried cherries, raisins, crystallized ginger, and 30ml of the sherry. Stir well and set aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes.
Generously grease the inside of a 1.5L pudding basin with butter. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the basin and place it inside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the 150g butter, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. If the mixture looks curdled, add a spoonful of the flour.
Whisk together the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, ground spices, and salt. Fold these dry ingredients into the butter mixture gently.
Fold in the milk and the macerated fruit mixture (including any liquid). The batter should be thick but drop easily from a spoon.
Spoon batter into the prepared basin. Level the top. Cut a large square of foil and a slightly smaller square of parchment. Layer them (foil on top) and create a 3cm pleat in the center to allow for expansion. Place over the basin (parchment side down) and tie securely with kitchen twine under the rim.
Place a trivet or folded towel in a large pot. Place the basin on the trivet. Pour boiling water into the pot until it reaches halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pot and simmer gently.
While the pudding steams, make the hard sauce. Beat 115g softened butter until very pale. Gradually add sifted confectioners sugar and salt. Finally, whip in the sherry 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
Once steamed, carefully remove basin from the water. Let rest for 10 minutes. Remove string and foil/parchment. Invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm with the hard sauce.
Chef's Notes
- The pleat in the foil/parchment lid is crucial; the pudding expands significantly, and without the pleat, the cover might burst or compress the pudding excessively.
- Hard sauce is traditionally served cold on the hot pudding, creating a delicious melting contrast. If you prefer a liquid sauce, gently warm the hard sauce until melted.
- Using fresh breadcrumbs rather than dry store-bought ones ensures a lighter, fluffier texture. Simply pulse crustless white bread in a processor.
- For a truly festive presentation, you can flambe the pudding with warmed brandy before serving.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Pudding keeps very well; flavors mature over time. Store hard sauce separately.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap pudding tightly without the sauce.
Reheating: Steam the whole pudding again for 45-60 minutes, or microwave individual slices gently.
Troubleshooting
Pudding is soggy or waterlogged
Cause: The foil/parchment seal was not tight enough, allowing steam to enter the basin
Fix: Cannot be fixed completely, but you can dry the exterior in a 150°C/300°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Prevention: Tie the string very tightly under the rim of the basin and scrunch the excess foil up and under the string to lock it in.
Center is raw after steaming
Cause: Water stopped boiling or pot ran dry
Fix: Reseal and steam for another 30-45 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure the water maintains a gentle simmer and check levels hourly.
Cultural Context
Steamed puddings are a cornerstone of British winter culinary tradition, dating back to medieval pottages. Unlike baked cakes, the moist heat of steaming preserves the fruit's juiciness and creates a unique, dense texture that has become synonymous with Christmas and cold-weather comfort.
