Gordon Ramsay’s christmas pudding soaks dried fruit in Guinness overnight, then gets steamed for 6 hours until it turns into something dark, dense, and boozy that tastes like Christmas in a single spoonful. The fruit swells up with the stout, the muscovado sugar lines the basin so the outside caramelises, and the whole thing smells incredible while it cooks.
I make this every year on Stir-Up Sunday, right around the same time I start thinking about bread and butter pudding for Boxing Day, which is the last Sunday before Advent. Ramsay’s xmas pudding is a proper traditional steamed pudding, not a light sponge version, and the Guinness gives it a depth you cannot get from brandy alone.
Try These Christmas Recipes:
Why The Fruit Soaks Overnight In Guinness
Most christmas pudding recipes use brandy or rum to soak the dried fruit, but Ramsay uses Guinness. The stout adds a malty, slightly bitter depth that stops the pudding from being just sweet, and the carbonation helps the fruit absorb the liquid faster.
I tried skipping the overnight soak once and using brandy instead. The pudding was fine but it tasted one-dimensional compared to the Guinness version, which has layers of flavour you only notice after the first bite.
Christmas Pudding Ingredients
For the fruit (soak overnight):
- 140g (1 cup) currants
- 140g (1 cup) sultanas
- 140g (1 cup) raisins
- 140g (1 cup) dates, chopped
- 50g (⅓ cup) mixed peel
- 125g (1 small) apple, peeled and finely chopped
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Guinness, enough to cover the fruit
For the pudding:
- 75g (⅔ cup) self-raising flour
- 75g (1½ cups) fresh white breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 125g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, grated
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar (for the basin)
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Christmas Pudding
- Soak the fruit: Mix the dried fruit, apple, orange zest, and lemon zest in a bowl, pour in enough Guinness to cover, stir, and leave overnight.
- Prepare the basin: Butter a 1.25 litre (2 pint) pudding basin generously, then spoon in the muscovado sugar and tilt the basin to coat the inside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Add the wet: Grate the cold butter directly into the bowl, add the beaten eggs and the soaked fruit with its liquid, and stir well.
- Fill the basin: Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon to remove air pockets.
- Cover: Lay a sheet of buttered greaseproof paper over the top, then cover with a sheet of foil and tie tightly with string under the rim.
- Steam: Place on a heatproof saucer in a large saucepan, pour in boiling water to come halfway up the basin, cover, and steam for 6 hours, topping up the water as needed.
- Store: Let it cool completely, then re-cover with fresh paper and foil and keep in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day.
- Reheat to serve: Steam again for 2 hours on the day, turn out onto a warm plate, and serve with brandy butter or cream.
When Should You Make Christmas Pudding
Traditionally you make it on Stir-Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, which falls in late November. This gives the pudding 4 to 5 weeks to mature, and the flavours get deeper and more complex as it sits.
I have made it as late as the week before Christmas and it was still good, but the ones I make a month ahead always taste richer. If you forget entirely, you can make it on Christmas Eve and steam it for the full 6 hours overnight.
How To Serve Christmas Pudding
Turn it out onto a warm plate, pour a tablespoon of brandy over the top, and light it at the table if you want the full show. It burns for about 30 seconds and the flame is mostly for drama, not flavour.
Brandy butter, brandy cream, or just plain double cream (heavy cream) are the traditional accompaniments, though if you want something lighter after the main try the rice pudding instead. I serve it with brandy butter because it melts into the hot pudding and makes its own sauce.
FAQs
- What is hidden inside a christmas pudding? Traditionally, a silver sixpence coin was hidden in the mixture before steaming. Whoever finds it in their portion is supposed to have good luck for the coming year. Some families still use a wrapped coin or a small charm.
- Is christmas pudding the same as figgy pudding or plum pudding? Yes, they are all names for the same traditional steamed fruit pudding. Figgy pudding and plum pudding are older terms. The “plums” in plum pudding actually referred to raisins, not actual plums.
- Can I use brandy instead of Guinness? You can, but you lose the malty depth that makes Ramsay’s version different. If you do not drink alcohol at all, use strong black tea with a tablespoon of treacle stirred in.
- How long does christmas pudding keep? A properly steamed and wrapped pudding keeps for up to a year in a cool, dry place. Many people make theirs a full 12 months in advance. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
More Recipes:
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 slice):
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
- Sodium: 95mg
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fibre: 3g
- Sugars: 48g
- Protein: 5g
Gordon Ramsay Christmas Pudding Recipe
8
servings30
minutes6
hours6
hours30
minutesGordon Ramsay’s christmas pudding soaks dried fruit in Guinness overnight, then gets steamed for 6 hours until it turns into something dark, dense, and boozy that tastes like Christmas in a single spoonful. The fruit swells up with the stout, the muscovado sugar lines the basin so the outside caramelises, and the whole thing smells incredible while it cooks.
I make this every year on Stir-Up Sunday, right around the same time I start thinking about bread and butter pudding for Boxing Day. Ramsay’s xmas pudding is a proper traditional steamed pudding, not a light sponge version, and the Guinness gives it a depth you cannot get from brandy alone.
Ingredients
140g (1 cup) currants
140g (1 cup) sultanas
140g (1 cup) raisins
140g (1 cup) dates, chopped
50g (1/3 cup) mixed peel
125g (1 small) apple, peeled and finely chopped
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
Guinness, enough to cover the fruit
75g (2/3 cup) self-raising flour
75g (1 1/2 cups) fresh white breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
125g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, grated
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar (for the basin)
Directions
- Soak the fruit: Mix the dried fruit, apple, orange zest, and lemon zest in a bowl, pour in enough Guinness to cover, stir, and leave overnight.
- Prepare the basin: Butter a 1.25 litre (2 pint) pudding basin generously, then spoon in the muscovado sugar and tilt the basin to coat the inside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Add the wet: Grate the cold butter directly into the bowl, add the beaten eggs and the soaked fruit with its liquid, and stir well.
- Fill the basin: Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon to remove air pockets.
- Cover: Lay a sheet of buttered greaseproof paper over the top, then cover with a sheet of foil and tie tightly with string under the rim.
- Steam: Place on a heatproof saucer in a large saucepan, pour in boiling water to come halfway up the basin, cover, and steam for 6 hours, topping up the water as needed.
- Store: Let it cool completely, then re-cover with fresh paper and foil and keep in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day.
- Reheat to serve: Steam again for 2 hours on the day, turn out onto a warm plate, and serve with brandy butter or cream.
