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Traditional English Plum Pudding with Homemade Brandy Butter Sauce

A rich, dark slice of plum pudding covered in flowing vanilla custard sauce on a white plate.
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Make this rich, spiced, and moist traditional English Plum Pudding. This classic holiday dessert requires a long steam but the simple steps and accompanying homemade brandy butter sauce make it worth the effort for your festive table.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup (225g) 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 and serving
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • For the Brandy Butter Sauce: 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brandy

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pudding basin: Lightly grease a 1.5-quart heatproof pudding basin. Cut a circle of parchment paper and a circle of foil, both large enough to cover the top of the basin. Fold a pleat into the center of both the paper and foil.
  2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Mix in fats and fruit: Cut in the suet or cold butter using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the brown sugar, raisins, currants, candied peel, and chopped nuts.
  4. Add wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl, mix the egg, stout, 1/4 cup brandy, orange zest, and orange juice. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
  5. Fill the basin: Spoon the pudding mixture into the prepared basin, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. Cover tightly with the pleated parchment paper, followed by the pleated foil. Secure the covering around the rim of the basin with kitchen string, creating a handle over the top for easy removal.
  6. Steam the pudding: Place the covered basin into a large pot or Dutch oven. Fill the pot with boiling water until it comes halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pot and steam over low heat for 5 to 6 hours, checking the water level every hour and adding more boiling water as needed to maintain the level.
  7. Cool and store: Carefully remove the basin from the water. Let it cool completely. Once cool, remove the foil and parchment, replace them with fresh coverings, and tie securely. You can store the pudding in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
  8. To serve: Reheat the pudding by steaming it again for 2 to 3 hours.
  9. Make the Brandy Butter Sauce: While the pudding reheats, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of brandy. Serve immediately alongside the hot pudding.
  10. Serve: Invert the pudding onto a serving plate. If desired, pour a little extra warm brandy over the top and carefully ignite it just before serving for a festive presentation. Serve slices with the homemade hard sauce.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, prepare this traditional plum pudding several weeks or even a month before you plan to serve it.
  • If you do not have stout, you can substitute it with dark ale or strong black tea.
  • To make this a make-ahead Christmas dessert, wrap the cooled pudding tightly in plastic wrap and then foil before storing it in a cool, dry place.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://devourdish.com/plum-pudding-7-magical-steps-for-perfect/