Nigella Lawson's two key ingredients that make Christmas puddings 'meltingly light'
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Nigella Lawson’s Christmas pudding is the gold standard for many during the holiday season, and it’s easy to see why. It’s everything you want in a festive dessert: rich, deeply spiced, and so light you’ll be amazed. While many might find themselves daunted by the traditional pud, Nigella’s version is anything but heavy.
She swears by the use of Pedro Ximénez sherry — a sweet, dark, and sticky treat with hints of liquorice, treacle, and fig — to soak the dried fruits. The result? A moist and melt-in-the-mouth pudding that’s meltingly light. If you’ve been sceptical about Christmas pudding in the past, this recipe could change your mind.
Nigella’s Ultimate Christmas Pudding isn’t just for the Christmas Day table; it’s the kind of dessert that keeps on giving. You can reheat leftovers (if there are any!) in the days after, or fry slices in butter for a midnight feast, topped with vanilla ice cream. But first, lets look at the recipe as that will take a bit of effort.
(Serves 8-10). 150g currants. 150g sultanas. 150g roughly chopped prunes. 175ml Pedro Ximénez sherry. 100g plain flour. 125g fresh breadcrumbs. 150g suet. 150g dark brown muscovado sugar. 1 tsp ground cinnamon. ¼ tsp ground cloves. 1 tsp baking powder. Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon.
3 large eggs. 1 medium cooking apple (peeled and grated). 2 tbsp honey. 125ml vodka (for flambéing). You’ll need a 1.7 litre/3 pint/1½ quart heatproof plastic pudding basin with a lid (and a sprig of holly for decoration). Start by placing the currants, sultanas, and prunes into a bowl and pouring over the Pedro Ximénez sherry. Stir it around, cover with clingfilm, and leave it to steep overnight or up to a week. The longer it soaks, the more intense the flavour.
