Last-minute Christmas pudding recipe

By Matthew Drennan

Making your own Christmas pudding doesn't have to be stressful. This recipe takes 15 minutes, plus steaming.

1½ x 411g jars luxury mincemeat
Grated zest of 1 large orange
2 tbsp brandy
50g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
Icing sugar, a few fresh berries and a large fresh rosemary sprig (optional), to decorate

1. To prepare: Empty the mincemeat into a large bowl and, using a wooden spoon, stir in the grated orange zest and brandy. Sift the self-raising flour and spice together and stir into the mincemeat mixture with the breadcrumbs. Stir in the beaten egg. Spoon into a greased 900ml pudding basin, cover with a circle of pleated greaseproof paper, then a circle of foil and tie around the rim of the basin with string to secure. Loop the string over and tie at the other side to make handles.
2. To cook: Put the pudding basin on an upturned saucer in a large, deep pan, and pour in boiling water until it comes halfway up the side of the pudding basin. Cover and steam for 3 hours, topping up the water level occasionally. Alternatively, cover loosely with greaseproof paper and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes.
3. To serve: Turn out onto a serving plate, dust with icing sugar then decorate with fresh berries and a sprig of rosemary, if using.