The Ritz Christmas pudding recipe

Make your Christmas a glamorous one with this luxury Christmas pudding from the glitzy Ritz hotel

Serves 6

For the dry ingredients

• 200g sultanas
• 200g currants
• 200g raisins
• 40g glace cherries, finely chopped
• 40g mixed peel
• 50g dried prunes, finely chopped
• 85g plain flour
• 35g ground almonds
• 120g fresh breadcrumbs
• 85g brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• Pinch of mixed spice
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 2 tsp crystallised ginger
• 1 tbsp suet

For the wet ingredients

• 70g cooking apples, chopped
• 45g carrots, grated
• Zest and juice 1 orange
• Zest and juice 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 25ml Guinness
• 25ml bitter
• 1 tsp cognac
• 1 tsp Madeira wine
• 2 tsp rum
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 egg

1. Place all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl ensuring all the dried fruits are cut into the same size pieces.

2. Combine the chopped cooking apple, grated carrot, orange and lemon juice and zest with the syrup, alcohol, milk and eggs and mix thoroughly.

3. Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, making sure nothing is crushed.

4. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl and leave at room temperature for approximately 3 days until it just starts to ferment.

5. On the third day transfer to a pudding basin lined with greaseproof paper and cover tightly with a lid. Store in a fridge for 1 more day.

6. The next day place the pudding in steamer for 1 hour 45 minutes then allow to cool completely.

7. Store in a cool cupboard for a minimum of 3 months.

8. To serve, steam for 1 hour 45 minutes hours then serve with brandy butter.

Recipe by Executive Chef John Williams of The Ritz London