Stir-Up Sunday: the search for the perfect Christmas pud
It’s Stir-up Sunday which means one thing – Christmas Puddings.
If you don’t know what it is, Stir Up Sunday is the last Sunday before advent and the time that families would traditionally get together to stir the Christmas pudding five weeks before Christmas Day.
It takes its name from the prayer that begins: “Stir-up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people” and the words were said to have been a reminder to remind churchgoers to start stirring up their plum pudding ready for Christmas.
So what makes the perfect Christmas pudding? We’ve lined up some of the recipes from Britain’s experts for you to peruse. Just don’t forget to drop your Silver Sixpence into the mix!
1.Mary Berry
The Bake Off queen’s Christmas pud recipe is packed with fruit for a traditional ‘figgy pudding’ effect. Soak sultanas, raisins, apricots and apple in orange juice and brandy. Mix with creamed butter, sugar and orange rind, as well as flour, eggs and mixed spice. Don’t forget to flame it and serve with Mary’s brandy butter. [Picture: Getty]
2. Nigel Slater
The ‘cook who writes’ says his pudding is lighter and a little less sweet than most. It’s packed with dark, rich fruit but also adds dried figs and apricots. He also steers clear of brandy butter, preferring the ‘silky contrast’ of organic double cream. [Picture: Flickr/James Peek]
3. Delia Smith
Fond favourite Delia reckons her Christmas pud recipe has been made and loved by a “cast of thousands” over 40 years. She adds barley wine to the mix and suggests you start the day before you want to steam the pudding, mixing suet, breadcrumbs, spices and sugar with dried fruit, peel, nuts, apple and grated orange and lemon zests. Add rum, barley wine, stout and eggs then mix with all the family. [Picture: deliaonline]
4. Jamie Oliver
The Naked Chef offer’s up his nan’s Christmas pudding recipe, which uses Vin Santo – an Italian dessert wine – and is apparently “super fruity” and “super easy’. In true Jamie style, bung in all the ingredients – mixed fruit, suet, orange, sugar, flour, breadcrumbs, zest and nuts and an egg – then mix together and steam. He recommends drizzling some golden syrup over the top before you serve. [Picture: JamieOliver.com]
5. Nigella Lawson
The goddess of the kitchen describes her recipe as the “ultimate” Christmas pudding. She soaks her fruit in Pedro Ximenez sherry before mixing all the ingredients together and adding “cola-cleaned coins or heirloom charms”. Nigella flames her “mystifyingly, meltingly light” pudding with vodka, not brandy, and serves up with eggnog cream. [Picture: Instagram/stmodewenhomes]
A photo posted by St. Modwen Homes (@stmodwenhomes) on Nov 16, 2016 at 5:12am PST
