Don’t be a pudding novice

For many years, Rebuzzi, who hails from Lyon, the food capital of France, has made around 500 Christmas puddings to serve at the hotel, so who better to take us through our paces to make a Christmas pud to remember.Here’s the recipe ...

THE LANDMARK LONDON’S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

(Makes 3 x puddings in bowls 14cm in diameter)

140g vegetable suet

140g demerara sugar

75g soft flour

75g breadcrumbs

30g lemon juice

4g nutmeg

1 pinch salt

20g jam

90ml Irish stout

1 grated apple

500g marinated fruit (see below)

2 eggs

200g walnuts

For the marinated fruit:

100g dry apples

100g raisins

100g dry apricots

100g dry cranberries

100g golden raisins

20g navy rum

40ml brandy

20ml kirsch

Juice and zest of 1/2 an orange

Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon

Method

lMarinate the dry fruit for two months, adding more liquor if necessary.

lButter the pudding basins.

lMix all the ingredients in a large bowl, ensuring that there are no pockets of flour or breadcrumbs.

lPour the mixture into the buttered basins and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper and aluminium foil. Tie firmly with a string.

lPut the basin in a pan, add boiling water to a quarter of the way up the basins, cover and steam for at least four hours. Top up with water if needed.

lThe longer the mixture is steamed, the darker it will get.

lSteam for another hour before serving.

The Landmark London is hosting a Christmas pudding masterclass on October 24 and will be selling Christmas puddings to the public for the first time this year, from December 1-21, with proceeds going to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Visit www.landmarklondon.co.uk