Stir up Sunday is an annual tradition when you make your Christmas Pudding.
Usually the last Sunday in November which in the Anglican calendar marks the last Sunday before the start of Advent. When I was a little girl my Mum started to make her own Christmas Pudding and they were amazing. My own adult life always seemed too hectic and crazy so to make my own so I stuck to shop bought. That was until recent years when I was prompted to make my own.A few years ago my friend Sophie who owns Malton Relish gifted me one of her handmade Christmas Puddings that she sells in the Deli. The flavour had me harking back to my Mum’s home made Christmas Pudding. There was nothing else for it I had to make my own. Supermarket bought dark stodgy Christmas Pudding just wasn’t going to make the grade any more.
Finding a Christmas Pudding recipe that ticked all my boxes was impossible so I adapted a Richard Bertinet Christmas Pudding Recipe to reflect my personal tastes and it was perfect. It is fruity, alcoholic, light and moist. It is also a sensible size as we always have a quiet Christmas Day with just the two of us. However we love Christmas Pudding so there is enough for a second helping later in the festive week!
Christmas Pudding
Ingredients for a 1 pint pudding – if you need a 2 pint pudding simply double the recipe and steam for 3 hours x 2 or 6 hours.
40g currants
100g raisins
100g sultanas
50g chopped glacé cherries
45g ground almonds
1/4 of a sweet apple, peeled and grated
1/4 of a carrot, grated
Zest and juice of half an orange
Zest and juice of half an lemon
55g suet, I used Atora beef suet, veg suet would work the same
60g plain flour
30g white bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of mixed spice
100ml Guinness or any dark ale or stout
1 tablespoon of Brandy
2 large eggs
Method
In one bowl beat the eggs until frothy and then add in the Guinness, brandy, orange and lemon juice.
In a larger bowl mix all the other ingredients together.
Next add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined.
Fill your 1 pint pudding basin with the mixture, pressing it firmly down as you 
fill it.
Put a disc of greaseproof paper firmly over the top of the pudding basin.
Stand the basin on a plate and pop into the fridge for 12-48 hours before you steam it. This time allows all the flavours to blend together .
Steaming the pudding
Remove your Christmas pudding from the fridge and clean up any spills or 
leaks off the basin.
Wrap the basin tightly in cling film, I usually wrap it twice.
You steam the pudding in a deep pan and will need to keep the pudding off the heat source at the bottom of the pan. You can use an upturned bowl or trivet in the bottom of the pan to stand the basin on. Alternatively if you have a pasta pan like this one in the photo, go ahead and use that just as you would cooking pasta.
Fill the pan with water until it reaches three quarters of the way up the 
pudding basin. Bring to the boil, put the lid on the pan and then turn down to a gentle simmer.
Check the water level at regular intervals and keep topping the pan up with boiling water from the kettle. Doing this stops the water temperature being lowered when you add more water.
If you want to finish steaming your Christmas Pudding on Christmas Day then steam your pudding for 3 hours now and then for a further 90 minutes on Christmas Day.
Or if you want to completely cook your Christmas Pudding now and reheat it in smaller portions in the microwave on Christmas Day, steam it now for 4 1/2 hours.
Whichever way you choose, once you have finished steaming the pudding 
allow the pan to cool down a bit before you remove the pudding. Leave to cool fully and then store in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day. Leave the cling film intact as this is now the airtight seal for your pudding. I usually store mine in the Utility room a there is no heating in there so it stays nice and cool.
Eating your Christmas Pudding
On Christmas Day, if your Pudding is whole and freshly steamed why not warm a small glass of brandy in a pan on the hob, ignite it with a match and pour over your Christmas Pudding. If your day is a bit more low key and your pudding is fully cooked already, then dive into the basin and spoon out into your bowl however much pud you can eat. Pop in the microwave for 30-90 seconds and hey presto steaming hot delicious Christmas Pudding.
Whichever way you choose to cook it enjoy your home made Christmas Pudding, you’ll never buy another one again. For me Christmas Day is a quiet relaxing time before we have a Boxing Day family gathering of 13 from the ages of 8 to 90!
Merry Christmas…Slainte!