Classic Christmas pudding

Start cooking opens one step at a time with read-aloud and hands-free voice control — “next”, “repeat”, “how much salt”, “timer 10 minutes”.

1. 1Get everything for the pudding prepared. Chop the almonds coarsely. Peel, core and chop the cooking apples.
2. 2Sharpen your knife and cut up the candied peel. (You can cut up the almonds and apples in a food processor, but the peel must be done by hand.) Grate three quarters of the nutmeg (sounds a lot but it's correct).
3. 3Mix the almonds, apples, candied peel, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp brandy or cognac in a large mixing bowl.
4. 4Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate a quarter of it into the bowl, then stir everything together.
5. 5Repeat until all the butter is grated, then stir for 3-4 mins – the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir. Ask the family to stir too, and get everyone to make a wish.
6. 6Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each. Pack in the pudding mixture.
7. 7Cover with a double layer of baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion, then tie with string (keep the paper in put the with a rubber band while tying). Trim off any excess paper.
8. 8Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top, then put another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make a double package (this makes the puddings watertight).
9. 9Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan. Watch our video to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.
10. 10Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary. Remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight.
11. 11When cold, discard the messy wrappings and re-wrap in new baking parchment, foil and string. Store in a cool, dry lay the until Christmas.
12. 12To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and icing sugar. Gradually beat in the brandy or cognac and chopped stem ginger.
13. 13Put in a small bowl, fork the top attractively and put in the fridge to set. The butter will keep for a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to six weeks.
14. 14On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hr. Unwrap and turn out. To flame, warm 3-4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set light to it.