The Royal Mint Christmas Pudding

Serves	8 - 10
Prep time	24 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time	6 hours
Total time	30 hours, 30 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Wheat
Meal type	Dessert
Misc	Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Christmas
Region	British
By author	Rachel Walker

This year, to mark hundreds of years of tradition, The Royal Mint has commissioned Chef Rachel Walker to create their very own Royal Mint Christmas Pudding ahead of Stir Up Sunday.

Ingredients

170g sultanas
140g currants
140g raisins
200ml water
30g plain flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2tsp ground mace
1/2tsp ground ginger
55g breadcrumbs
85g shredded suet (if you cannot get hold of suet, softened butter works just as well)
40g chocolate (70%), grated
1 cooking apple, peeled and grated
85g soft dark brown sugar
20g chopped mixed peel
55g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested
1 orange, zested
1 tbsp black treacle
3 tbsp brandy
Large elastic band
1 egg, beaten
Knob of butter for greasing
The Royal Mint Sixpence
1 litre pudding/pyrex bowl
Greaseproof paper
String
Stock pot
Steamer basket/Deep saucer/ramekin

Note

This year, to mark hundreds of years of tradition, The Royal Mint has commissioned Chef Rachel Walker to create their very own Royal Mint Christmas Pudding ahead of Stir Up Sunday.

The Christmas pudding is one of the essential British Christmas traditions, having been introduced to the Victorians by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. On Stir Up Sunday, families gather together in the kitchen of their home to mix and steam Christmas pudding. Parents teach their children how to mix ingredients for the pudding and everyone takes a turn to stir the pudding mix and make a special Christmas wish for the year ahead.

Directions

Step 1	Put the sultanas, currants and raisins in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 3 minutes. Leave to soak, uncovered, overnight.
Step 2	Sift the flour and spices into a mixing bowl.
Step 3	Add the breadcrumbs, suet / butter, grated chocolate, grated apple, brown sugar, mixed peel, almonds, lemon and orange zest.
Step 4	Mix well, using your hands to get rid of any lumps of butter and ensuring the mixture is fully blended together
Step 5	Stir in the soaked fruit, which will have plumped-up over overnight. Next, stir in the treacle, brandy and beaten egg.
Step 6	Mix well, and stand overnight. While this isn't necessary, the marinating helps the spices soak in. Before you're ready to cook, stir in the sixpence. It's traditional for everyone to give the pudding a turn with a wooden spoon at this stage, and make a wish.
Step 7	Use the knob of butter to grease the pudding bowl, and tip the Christmas pudding mixture into it.
Step 8	Cut one circle of greaseproof paper, which is few inches bigger than the rim of the bowl. Use a large elastic band to secure it over the pudding bowl with a folded pleat running through the middle. This will room to allow the pudding to release excess steam. Cover the top with a piece of tin foil (same size as the greaseproof paper) and then tie it tightly with the string.
Step 9	Make a loop of string across the top, to fashion a handle, so the pudding can be easily lifted in and out of the pan.
Step 10	If you are using a steaming pot, pour some water into the bottom of the stock pot – about one eighth full – so that the steaming basket sits in the bottom, just above the water level. Bring the water to boil, and place the Christmas pudding in the basket.
Step 11	If you don’t have a steaming basket, simply use the upturned saucer or ramekin so that the pudding basin is kept away from direct contact with the base of the pan. Then fill the stock pot with water to around half-way up the side of the pudding basin.
Step 12	Put on the lid, and steam at a gentle simmer for four hours. Keep an eye on the water to make sure that the pan doesn't boil dry, and add more water from the kettle to keep it topped-up if needed
Step 13	If the lid of the stock pot doesn't fit on tightly, it's not ideal, but not disastrous– as long as there's plenty of steam circulating. Keep an even more careful eye on water levels though, as a loosely-covered pot is more likely to boil dry.
Step 14	Lift the pudding out of the pan after four hours, making sure you keep the greaseproof lid on – that way you can store the Christmas pudding for up to two months.
Step 15	On Christmas Day, steam the pudding again for another two hours, and serve – perhaps with a sprig of holly on top, and a splash of brandy to light.