Christmas pudding with Grand Marnier butter recipe

This show-stopping Christmas pudding has everything you could want and more but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

Makes a 1.5 litre pudding to serve 8
Takes 30 minutes to make, 5 hours to steam, plus cooling and chilling

Vegetarian

Ingredients

100g ready-to-eat dried figs, roughly chopped
150g sultanas
150g raisins
150g currants
50g chopped mixed peel
1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
50ml Guinness
50ml brandy
150g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
100g molasses sugar

For the grand marnier butter

350g butter, softened
200g dark muscovado sugar
6 tbsp Grand Marnier

METHOD

How to make christmas pudding

1. Put the dried fruits, peel, apple, lemon zest, Guinness and brandy into a large bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, spices and a pinch of salt.

2. Melt the butter in a small pan, then allow to cool slightly. Pour over the dried fruit mixture, then add the breadcrumbs, eggs, molasses sugar and spiced flour. Mix well.

3. Grease and base line a 1.5 litre pudding basin. Tip in the pudding mixture and level the surface. Cut a circle of foil larger than the top of the pudding basin and make a pleat down the centre. Use to cover the pudding and secure in place with string - tie this around the basin rim, loop over the pudding and tie at the other side to make a handle.

4. Put an upturned saucer in the base of a deep saucepan. Sit the basin on top and fill the pan with boiling water to come halfway up the basin. Cover the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and steam the pudding for 5 hours, keeping the water level topped up. Using the tie-handle, carefully remove the basin from the saucepan. Set aside to cool. Cover with clean foil and store in a cool place for up to 6 months.

5. To reheat, place on an upturned saucer in a large saucepan of simmering water. Cook for 1 hour or until piping hot throughout.

6. Meanwhile, make the Grand Marnier butter. Using an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Gradually beat in the Grand Marnier. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up.

7. To serve, carefully remove the pudding basin from the pan, uncover the pudding and run a small, sharp knife around it to loosen. Upturn onto a serving plate, dust with icing sugar, if you like, and decorate with a sprig of holly. Slice and serve with a spoonful of Grand Marnier butter.

Tip: The cooked pudding will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 6 months. Steam for 1 hour or until piping hot to serve. You can freeze the butter for up to 3 months, then thaw until soft enough to spoon.