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Traditional English Plum Pudding with Homemade Brandy Butter Sauce

A thick slice of dark, fruit-filled plum pudding generously covered in flowing vanilla custard sauce.
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Make the classic, rich, and moist English Plum Pudding for your holiday table. This recipe includes instructions for the essential long steaming process and a recipe for decadent Brandy Butter Sauce.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup shredded suet (or substitute with cold butter, grated)
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup currants
  • 1/2 cup chopped candied peel
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup stout or dark beer
  • 1/4 cup brandy or dark rum, plus more for soaking
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • For the Brandy Butter Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons brandy

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pudding: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  2. Stir in the brown sugar, suet, raisins, currants, candied peel, and nuts until everything is evenly coated with the dry mixture.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, stout, 1/4 cup brandy or rum, and orange zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Grease a 1.5-quart pudding basin. Scrape the batter into the basin. Cover the top tightly with a double layer of parchment paper, followed by a double layer of aluminum foil, crimping the edges securely around the rim of the basin. Tie a string around the rim to create a handle for lifting.
  5. Steam the pudding: Place the basin in a large, deep pot or stockpot. Add boiling water to the pot until it reaches halfway up the sides of the pudding basin.
  6. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Bring the water to a simmer and steam for 6 hours, checking the water level every hour and adding more boiling water as needed to maintain the level.
  7. Remove the pudding from the steamer and let it cool completely before storing it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to several weeks, or freeze it.
  8. To serve, steam the pudding again for 2 hours until heated through.
  9. Make the Brandy Butter Sauce: In a small bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the 2 tablespoons of brandy until the sauce is light and fluffy.
  10. Invert the hot pudding onto a serving plate. Pour the Brandy Butter Sauce over the top, or serve it alongside for guests to add themselves.

Notes

  • For best flavor, make this rich fruit pudding several weeks ahead of time. Reheating is done by steaming.
  • If you do not have stout, use strong black tea mixed with a teaspoon of molasses as a substitute.
  • For a traditional presentation, pour a little extra brandy over the pudding just before serving and carefully light it with a long match.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbycarla.com/plum-pudding-traditional-english-recipe/