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Traditional English Plum Pudding with Brandy Sauce

A rich, dark plum pudding with a slice removed, generously topped with creamy custard sauce.
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Make this rich, spiced, traditional English Plum Pudding. This classic holiday dessert steams to perfection and pairs well with a homemade brandy butter sauce.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (120g) 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 (200g) packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup (120g) suet or cold unsalted butter, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (150g) raisins
  • 1 cup (150g) currants
  • 1/2 cup (75g) chopped candied peel
  • 1/2 cup (75g) chopped almonds or walnuts
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) stout or dark beer
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy, plus extra for soaking
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • For the Brandy Sauce: 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons brandy; 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  2. Stir in the brown sugar, dried fruits, candied peel, and chopped nuts until everything is evenly coated.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, stout, 1/4 cup brandy, and orange zest.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Grease a 1.5-quart pudding basin. Spoon the mixture into the basin, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. Cover the top tightly with a double layer of parchment paper, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, securing it tightly around the rim with string. Create a small pleat in the center of the paper and foil to allow for expansion.
  6. Steam the pudding by placing the basin in a large pot with boiling water halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pot and steam for 5 to 6 hours, checking the water level occasionally and topping up with boiling water as needed.
  7. Alternatively, steam in a slow cooker on low for 8 to 10 hours.
  8. Once cooked, carefully remove the basin from the pot. Let it cool slightly, then remove the paper and foil. Cover with fresh parchment and foil. The pudding can be made weeks ahead and stored in a cool, dark place, or refrigerated.
  9. To serve, re-steam the pudding for 2 hours until heated through.
  10. While the pudding is steaming, prepare the Brandy Sauce: Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the brandy and milk until the sauce is smooth.
  11. Invert the hot pudding onto a serving plate. Pour the warm Brandy Sauce over the top just before serving. For a traditional presentation, you can carefully pour extra warmed brandy over the pudding and ignite it briefly before serving.

Notes

  • For best flavor, soak the dried fruits in the brandy overnight before mixing them into the batter.
  • If you do not have suet, use cold, finely chopped unsalted butter as a substitute.
  • A silver sixpence can be placed in the pudding before steaming for good luck, but remove it before serving.

Nutrition

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