If you are going to be making your first Christmas pudding like me, below is a simple recipe from M&S.
Ingredients:
225g/8oz Caster sugar (£1.29, 500g)
340g/12oz Sultanas (£1.99, 500g)
340g/12oz Raisins (£1.99, 500g)
225g/8oz Currants (£1.79, 375g)
50g/2oz Glace cherries (£1.99, 200g)
110g/4oz Plain flour (£1.10, 1.5kg)
1 lemon, zest only (39p)
5 Free Range eggs, beaten (£1.40, 6 medium eggs)
1 level tsp Ground cinnamon (£1.49, 39g)
1 level tsp Mixed spice (£1.49, 50g)
5g/1 level tsp Ground nutmeg (£1.49, 44g)
Pinch of salt (29p, 400g)
150ml/5fl oz French Brandy (£13.29, 70cl)
55g/2oz Flaked almonds (£1.49, 100g)
Method:
Soak fruit in brandy overnight. Mix together the ingredients and spoon the mix into a pudding basin. Put a circle of baking parchment and foil over the top and make a string handle. Steam the pudding for 6-7 hours. Remove pudding from steamer and store in a cool, dry place until Christmas day. On Christmas day reheat the pudding by steaming again for 1-2 hours. Serve with brandy butter, rum sauce or custard.
If you don't fancy making your own, how about one of their unique puddings;
Featuring our festive signature flavour, this sugar plum pudding is rich and fruity with a hidden centre of mulled plum sauce and Armagnac soaked plums. Hand decorated with sun dried Angelino plums and ready to finish with a sprinkling of golden fairy dust you can add at home.
A rich and fruity Christmas pudding laced with port and brandy and melting chunks of Madagascan chocolate. Topped with Kirsch-soaked glace and sour cherries and glazed with a rich cherry sauce.