This Figgy Pudding recipe brings centuries of Christmas tradition right into your kitchen, with rich flavors that only get better with time. I first made this with my grandmother at her farmhouse one December, and I still remember how the whole house filled with the scent of brandy-soaked fruit and warm spices while we waited by the steaming pot. She told me then that patience makes this pudding perfect, and after making it every year since, I know she was absolutely right.
There’s something magical about preparing a dessert weeks before Christmas, knowing it’s quietly maturing in the pantry, getting richer and more flavorful with each passing day. That’s exactly what happened in our family. Every year on Stir-up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, we’d gather in the kitchen to mix our Christmas pudding. My grandmother would let each of us take a turn stirring from east to west, honoring the journey of the Wise Men, while we’d each make a secret wish. This wasn’t just dessert – it was the official start of our Christmas season, a tradition that connected us to generations of families who’d done the same thing in their own kitchens. Now when I wrap my finished pudding in parchment and tuck it away, I feel that same sense of anticipation I had as a child, counting down the days until we’d finally bring it to the table, flames dancing across the top. Time to get our hands floury and start a tradition of your own!
What Makes This Figgy Pudding So Special
This isn’t your typical quick dessert, and that’s exactly why it’s so beloved. I’ve made dozens of Christmas desserts over the years, but none of them carry quite the same weight of tradition and anticipation as a properly steamed figgy pudding. The beauty lies in its make-ahead nature and the way the flavors develop into something truly extraordinary.
Here’s why this recipe deserves a spot in your holiday traditions:
- Uses accessible dried fruits and pantry spices you can find at any grocery store
- Actually improves with age – make it weeks or even months ahead and watch the flavors deepen
- Delivers consistent results thanks to the long, gentle steaming process that’s nearly foolproof
- Creates an impressive flaming presentation that’ll have your guests talking for years
- Connects you to centuries of Christmas tradition with every fragrant, spiced bite
- Stores beautifully for 4-6 weeks when wrapped properly, making holiday meal planning stress-free
The first time I pulled this off successfully, I understood why families guard their pudding recipes so carefully. There’s real magic in unwrapping a pudding you made back in October and finding it’s transformed into something even more delicious than when you put it away.
Ingredient Spotlight
Dried Currants, Raisins, and Golden Raisins: These three fruits form the foundation of your pudding’s texture and sweetness, soaking up brandy overnight to become plump and flavorful. I always use a combination of all three because each brings a slightly different sweetness and texture to the final dish.
Candied Orange and Lemon Peel: Homemade candied citrus peel makes an enormous difference here – store-bought versions often taste artificial and can be tough. The fresh citrus brightness cuts through the richness and adds those little jewel-like bursts of flavor throughout each slice.
Brandy: This serves double duty as both a preservative and a flavor enhancer, allowing the pudding to mature over weeks or months. In my kitchen, I prefer a mid-range brandy – nothing too expensive since it’s for cooking, but avoid the bottom shelf varieties that taste harsh.
Fresh White Breadcrumbs: Made from toasted bread and pulsed in a food processor, these create the perfect cake-like texture that holds everything together. I’ve learned that fresh breadcrumbs you make yourself are far superior to store-bought dried versions.
Beef Suet: This traditional ingredient is what gives figgy pudding its authentic texture and helps it stay moist during that long steaming process. Don’t be tempted to substitute – suet takes at least 4 hours to properly break down and creates the classic pudding texture that’s impossible to replicate.
Mixed Spice and Cinnamon: These warming spices are what make your house smell like Christmas and give the pudding its signature flavor. The combination creates that perfect balance of sweet warmth without any single spice overpowering the others.
Black Treacle or Molasses: Adds deep, dark color and a subtle bittersweet note that balances all the sweetness from the dried fruit. Just one tablespoon transforms the entire flavor profile.
Fresh Apple: Grated apple adds moisture and a subtle fruity freshness that keeps the pudding from feeling too heavy. Betty always grated hers at the last minute to prevent browning.
Dark Brown Sugar: Contributes rich molasses notes and helps create that deep, dark color we’re looking for. The moisture in brown sugar also helps keep the pudding tender during its long storage time.
Salt: Though you only need half a teaspoon, salt is essential for balancing the sweetness and bringing out all the complex spice flavors. Never skip it – the pudding will taste flat without it.
How to Make Traditional Figgy Pudding
Step 1. The night before you plan to make your pudding, combine all the dried fruits, nuts, and candied peel in a large bowl, pour the brandy over everything, and stir thoroughly to coat every piece – I’ve found that this overnight soak allows the brandy to fully penetrate each piece of fruit, which is essential for both flavor and preservation.
Step 2. Betty always started the actual pudding-making in the morning because you need a full 8 hours of steaming time. Mix your breadcrumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and spices in one bowl, getting everything evenly distributed.
Step 3. In your larger bowl, combine the brandy-soaked fruit mixture with the grated apple, black treacle, suet, citrus zests, and beaten eggs, stirring until everything is thoroughly mixed and you can smell all those wonderful aromas coming together.
Step 4. Add your dry mixture to the fruit mixture and stir until completely combined – the batter will be thick, sticky, and somewhat difficult to stir, which is exactly right. I use a wooden spoon and put some muscle into it.
Step 5. Generously butter your 2-liter (approximately 2-quart) pudding mold – don’t skip this step or you’ll struggle to get it out later – then pack the batter in firmly, pressing it down to eliminate air pockets and smoothing the top with the back of your spoon.
Step 6. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the top of your pudding, butter one side lightly, and place it butter-side down directly on the batter to protect the surface during steaming.
Step 7. After years of making this, I learned to tear off two large pieces of parchment paper, fold a small pleat in the center if your batter comes near the top of the mold (this allows for expansion), lay them over the top, and secure them tightly with string, trimming any excess paper.
Step 8. Place a folded kitchen towel or trivet in the bottom of your largest pot, fill with water to the halfway point of where your mold will sit, and bring to a very gentle simmer – not a rolling boil, just barely bubbling.
Step 9. Lower your pudding mold onto the trivet, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and steam for a minimum of 6 hours but ideally 8 hours over very low heat, checking every hour or so to ensure the water level stays constant and adding more hot water as needed. The pudding will turn a beautiful dark brown color – the longer it steams, the darker and more traditional it becomes.
Step 10. When steaming is complete, carefully lift out the mold using tongs or thick oven mitts (it will be very hot), let it rest for 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate and wait patiently for the pudding to release. If it sticks, let it sit a bit longer – gravity will do the work. Once cooled completely, wrap it tightly in fresh parchment and aluminum foil and store in a cool, dark place where the flavors will continue to develop for weeks.
Keeping This Figgy Pudding Fresh
I typically store my finished pudding in the basement where it’s cool and dark, wrapped extremely tightly in parchment paper followed by aluminum foil to prevent any moisture loss. Under these conditions, your figgy pudding will keep beautifully for 4-6 weeks. The brandy acts as a natural preservative, and the flavors actually improve as the pudding matures – each week that passes allows the spices to meld together and the brandy to work its magic throughout every bite.
If you don’t have a cool basement or cellar, store the pudding in the refrigerator, but this requires even more careful wrapping. Use two layers of plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil to create an airtight seal that prevents the pudding from drying out or absorbing any refrigerator odors. In the fridge, a brandy-soaked pudding will keep for up to 6 weeks without any issues. For even longer storage, you can freeze the pudding for up to one year – wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place in a freezer bag.
For the best texture when serving, you’ll need to reheat your pudding thoroughly. I reheat by steaming for 30-60 minutes until heated all the way through, which brings back that wonderful moist texture and fresh-steamed aroma. You can also microwave individual portions in a covered microwave-safe container, though I find steaming gives superior results. The traditional flaming presentation requires pouring 3-4 tablespoons of warmed brandy over the hot pudding and igniting it just before bringing it to the table – turn off the lights for maximum dramatic effect, keep children at a safe distance, and serve with hard sauce, custard, or whipped cream once the flames die down.
Perfect Partners for Figgy Pudding
- Hard Sauce (Brandy Butter): This is the absolute classic accompaniment – rich, buttery, and spiked with brandy, it melts into warm pudding slices creating little pools of sweet, boozy goodness that soak into every bite.
- English Custard: A proper pouring custard, served warm, adds creamy richness and a vanilla sweetness that complements the spiced fruit flavors without competing with them.
- Freshly Whipped Cream: Sometimes the simplest option is the best – unsweetened or lightly sweetened whipped cream provides a cool, airy contrast to the dense, warm pudding and lets the pudding’s complex flavors shine.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: The hot-cold combination is spectacular, with the ice cream melting into the warm pudding and creating a wonderful temperature and texture contrast that my grandchildren request every year.
- Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies: These soft, sweet cookies make a delightful accompaniment on your Christmas dessert table alongside the pudding, giving guests a choice of traditional or modern treats.
- Yule Log Cake: For a truly impressive Christmas spread, serve this alongside your figgy pudding to offer two classic holiday desserts that showcase different European traditions.
- Simply Dusted with Confectioner’s Sugar: For those who find traditional accompaniments too rich, a light dusting of powdered sugar adds just a touch of extra sweetness and makes a beautiful presentation on the plate.
FAQs
Can I make figgy pudding without alcohol? You can substitute the brandy with orange juice or apple juice for soaking the fruit, but I recommend storing the pudding in the refrigerator and consuming it within one week since you’ll lose the preservative qualities of the alcohol.
Why does my pudding need to steam for so long? The lengthy steaming time allows the suet to fully break down (which takes at least 4 hours) and develops that characteristic dark brown color and deep, melded flavors – Betty always said it’s nearly impossible to over-steam a Christmas pudding.
Can I freeze figgy pudding for longer storage? Many home cooks find success freezing well-wrapped pudding for up to a year – wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn and maintain moisture.
What if I don’t have a pudding mold? I recommend using a heatproof bowl of similar capacity as a substitute, ensuring you cover it tightly with parchment paper and foil to prevent water from entering during the steaming process.
How do I know when the pudding is done steaming? After 6-8 hours of gentle steaming, your pudding will be a deep dark brown color, firm to the touch, and will smell incredible – the longer it steams, the darker and more traditional it becomes.
Can I reheat the entire pudding at once? To prevent uneven heating, I recommend reheating only the portions you plan to serve, leaving the rest tightly wrapped in storage – this way each serving tastes freshly steamed.
Traditional Figgy Pudding (Christmas Pudding)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place raisins, sultanas, currants, nuts, and candied citrus peel in a bowl. Pour brandy over and stir thoroughly to coat every piece. Cover and let sit overnight to allow brandy to fully penetrate the fruit.
- The next day, combine breadcrumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, mixed spice, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir well to distribute evenly.
- In another bowl, add the soaked dried fruit mixture, grated apple, black treacle, suet, lemon and orange zest, and beaten eggs. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Add the dry mixture to the fruit mixture and stir until completely combined. The batter will be thick and sticky.
- Generously butter your 2 liter (approximately 2 quart) pudding mold. Scoop batter into the mold, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets and smoothing the top.
- Cut a circle of parchment paper the same diameter as the top of the pudding mold. Lightly butter one side and place butter-side down on top of the batter.
- Cut two more pieces of parchment paper large enough to cover the top and partially down the sides. If batter comes to the top of the mold, fold a pleat in the center to allow for expansion. Secure with string, trimming excess paper.
- Lower the pudding mold onto the cloth. Water level should reach halfway up the mold. Cover pot with lid and steam over very low heat for a minimum of 6 hours but ideally 8 hours. Check periodically and add more hot water as needed to maintain level. The pudding will turn a beautiful dark brown – the longer it steams, the darker it becomes.
- When done steaming, carefully lift out the pudding mold using tongs or thick oven mitts and let sit for 5 minutes. Invert onto a plate and let sit until pudding slides out. Cool completely.
- To store, remove parchment paper and wrap pudding with clean parchment paper followed by aluminum foil. Wrap tightly and store in a cool, dark place like a basement for 4-6 weeks, or refrigerate for up to 6 weeks.
- To serve, reheat by steaming for 30-60 minutes or microwaving in a covered microwave-safe container. For flaming presentation, warm 3-4 tablespoons brandy in a ladle, ignite carefully, and pour over pudding away from children. Serve with hard sauce, custard, whipped cream, or ice cream.
