Hairy Bikers Christmas pudding recipe

The Hairy Bikers Christmas pudding is packed with dried fruits, almonds and soaked in Guinness.

As Christmas puddings go, this one is quick and easy to put together. It’s a case of mixing the ingredients, spooning into a bowl, and steaming for a couple of hours (by comparison, Mary Berry’s Christmas pudding requires six-hour steam). The Hairy Bikers say: ‘This is our version of the classic pud, and very good it is, too. You can make it up to six months before Christmas if you like, then just cover it with fresh baking parchment and keep it in a cool, dry cupboard. To make the pud extra-rich and moist, top it up with a splash of brandy every week.’

Ingredients

You'll need:

• 100g wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 120ml stout, something like Guinness
• 2 eggs
• 100ml sunflower oil
• 120g wholemeal flour
• 100g brown sugar
• 50g skinned almonds
• 4 level tsp mixed spice, or to taste
• 1/2tsp grated nutmeg
• 50g cooking apple, chopped
• 50g orange, chopped
• 200g raisins
• 300g sultanas
• lemon and orange zest
• 1tsp salt
• 1 large, 2 pint bowl

Method

1. Soak the breadcrumbs in the stout.
2. Add the eggs, sunflower oil and sugar and mix together.
3. Add everything else except the apple and orange and mix together for about 3-5 mins.
4. Add in the apple and orange and blend together.
5. Spoon the mixture into a large bowl, pressing down quite firmly. Cover with a layer of baking parchment with a pleat in it, held in place with an elastic band.
6. Put the pudding in the top of a steamer, and steam for 2hrs, ensuring that the steamer does not boil dry. Remove from the steamer and leave the pudding to cool.

Top tips for making this Hairy Bikers Christmas pudding

Before serving, douse the pudding in brandy and set alight. Alternatively, use cake top sparklers. This steamed Christmas pudding can be made up to 6 months before Christmas. Cover it with fresh baking parchment and store in a dry cupboard. Keep topped up with a splash of brandy every week, to help preserve the pudding and make it rich and moist. Not suitable for freezing.

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