Today marks ‘Stir-Up Sunday’ where people make their Christmas puddings and cakes for this Christmas. The tradition dates back to Victorian times when the family would gather five weeks before Christmas to stir the Christmas pudding.
We have searched through our archives and found the perfect recipe from English Puddings by Mary Norwak which is below:
Christmas Pudding
Serves 8 to 10 people/makes 4 medium-sized puddings
8 oz (225g) self-raising flour
8oz (225g) fresh white breadcrumbs
8oz (225g) shredded suet
8oz (225g) currants
12oz (350g) sultanas
12oz (350g) stoned raisins
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1/2 pint (300ml) old ale or stout
4oz (100g) chopped mixed peel
8oz (225g) dark soft brown sugar
6 eggs
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
4oz (100g) chopped glacé cherries
1 small grated carrot
1 small grated apple
Mix together flour, crumbs, suet, dried fruit and sugar. Gradually work in all the other ingredients to give a stiff but not dry mixture. Add a little more beer or milk if necessary. Put into 4 x 11/2 pint (900ml) greased basins, leaving a 2in (6cm) space above the surface of the puddings. Cover with greased greaseproof paper and kitchen foil and tie securely. Put into a pan of boiling water, cover and boil gently for 8 hours, adding more water to the pan if necessary to prevent it boiling dry. Cool completely and replace paper and foil with clean pieces for storage. Store in a cool, dry place. Boil for 3 hours before serving with hard sauce, cream or custard.
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