Traditional Mandarin Christmas Pudding
Traditional Mandarin Christmas Pudding is a luxurious British holiday dessert featuring a whole syrup-soaked mandarin hidden inside a rich pudding filled with dried fruit, warm spices, sherry, and citrus. Every slice reveals a beautiful festive surprise, making it a memorable centerpiece for Christmas celebrations.
Equipment
- 1.5-liter pudding basin
- aluminum foil
- Heat-proof string
- Large saucepan or slow cooker
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- Serrated knife
Ingredients
To Serve
- Brandy butter or pouring cream
Fruit Mixture
- 1 medium Bramley apple peeled, cored and grated
- 50 g blanched almonds chopped
- 50 ml orange liqueur
- 140 g currants
- 140 g glacé cherries halved
- 140 g raisins
- 140 g sultanas
- 150 ml medium or sweet sherry
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
Pudding Batter
- 1 heaped teaspoon mixed spice
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 140 g cold butter plus extra for greasing
- 140 g self-raising flour
- 175 g dark muscovado sugar
- 175 g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar for coating
Mandarin Center
- 1 firm mandarin or seedless clementine about 140 g
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 400 g granulated sugar
Instructions
- Combine the raisins, sultanas, currants, cherries, almonds, grated apple, sherry, orange liqueur, orange zest, and orange juice.
- Cover and soak overnight.
- Simmer the whole mandarin for 30 minutes until tender.
- Reserve 300 ml of the cooking liquid.
- Add the sugar to the reserved liquid and heat until dissolved.
- Pierce the mandarin several times.
- Add it to the syrup with the orange liqueur.
- Simmer for 45 minutes.
- Leave the fruit to cool completely in the syrup.
- Grease the pudding basin with butter.
- Coat the inside with the extra muscovado sugar.
- Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, and mixed spice.
- Grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients.
- Stir in the beaten eggs.
- Fold in the soaked fruit mixture.
- Spoon one-third of the batter into the basin.
- Place the syrup-soaked mandarin in the center.
- Cover with the remaining batter.
- Level the surface gently.
- Cover with buttered parchment paper and aluminum foil.
- Tie securely with heat-proof string.
- Steam for 6 hours or cook in a slow cooker for about 8½ hours.
- Cool completely.
- Store in a cool, dark place to mature.
- Reheat by steaming for 1 hour before serving.
- Slice carefully to reveal the mandarin center.
- Serve warm with brandy butter or pouring cream.
Notes & Wine Advice
Recipe Notes
Soaking the fruit overnight creates a deeper flavor and a wonderfully moist pudding. Prepare the pudding several weeks before Christmas and feed it occasionally with a little extra sherry for an even richer taste. Steam gently throughout the cooking time and check the water level regularly. Slice with a serrated knife to reveal the beautiful mandarin hidden in the center.Wine Advice
A glass of Banyuls complements the rich fruit and caramel notes perfectly. For another festive pairing, serve with a chilled Dessert Wine.Nutrition values
Calories: 420 kcal | Carbohydrates: 69 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Sodium: 0.3 mg | Sugar: 41 g