Recipes: Christmas Pudding with a Twist

Rachel Allen's Christmas pudding muffins with sherry butter icing (pictured above)

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 40-45 minutes
Makes: 6

Ingredients
For the muffins:
1 egg
75ml milk
30g salted butter
2 tbsp sherry, whisky or brandy
125g leftover Christmas pudding
125g plain flour
1tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp mixed spice
75g caster sugar

For the icing:
125g sifted icing sugar
50g salted butter, softened
1-2 tbsp sweet sherry, whisky or brandy

Method
Preheat the oven to 350F or gas mark 4. Line the muffin tins with paper cases.

Whisk the egg in a bowl. Add the milk, melted butter, sherry and the Christmas pudding.

Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into another bowl. Add the caster sugar and mix well. Make a well in the centre.

Add the wet ingredients and mix together until a soft batter forms. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

While they are cooking, make the sherry butter icing. Mix together the icing sugar and the butter. Add enough sherry, about 1 tbsp, to just soften the mixture and make it spreadable.

Once the muffins are cool, spread the icing over the top and serve.

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Martha's mint chocolate Christmas pudding

'This melt-in-your-mouth velvety dessert is the perfect alternative Christmas pudding that everyone will enjoy.' Martha Collison

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 8


Ingredients
110g unsalted butter, softened, and extra to grease
110g soft light brown sugar
2 medium Waitrose British Blacktail Free Range Eggs
80g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
40g cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
4 tbsp milk

For the sauce:
150g After Eight Mints (half a box)
100ml double cream

Method
Grease a 1-litre pudding basin with plenty of butter so the pudding turns out cleanly. Lay a sheet of tin foil just bigger than the basin on a work surface, then lay a sheet of baking parchment the same size over the top. Grease the paper and fold a pleat into the centre to allow the pudding room to expand.

In a stand mixer, or with a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat again, before adding all the dry ingredients and mixing to combine. Then pour in the milk and beat for a further minute before spooning into the pudding basin. Top with the foil and parchment, securing with string round the bowl.

Put the pudding into a large, deep pan and pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the basin. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add more boiling water as necessary, to make sure the pan doesn't boil dry during the cooking process. Steam for 1½ hours, or until the sponge is firm and well risen.

To make the sauce, put the mints and cream into a small pan over a low heat, stirring until the chocolates have melted and the sauce is smooth.

Tip the pudding onto a plate, pour the hot sauce over the top and decorate with candy canes or mint sweets before serving.

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Edd Kimber's mini chocolate Christmas puddings

'After a big lunch, the last thing I want is a heavy pud laced with brandy. So I prefer to make individual puddings, flavoured with chocolate instead of brandy. The best thing is, they can be whipped up in minutes.' Edd Kimber

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4

Ingredients
60g unsalted butter, very soft, plus extra for greasing
100g raisins
75g sultanas
50g soft prunes, roughly chopped
60g light brown soft sugar
1 tbsp black treacle
2 large eggs
60g self-raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
Large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

For the chocolate sauce:
150ml whipping cream
75g dark chocolate
(60-70 per cent cocoa), roughly chopped

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease 4 dariole or pudding moulds (about 150ml in volume) well with butter. Put the dried fruit in a large bowl and pour over 3 tbsp boiling water, then allow to sit for a few minutes to soak it up.

Pulse the remaining pudding ingredients in a food processor a few times, just until the mixture is smooth and fully combined (if you don't have a food processor, you can do this with electric beaters or a wooden spoon). Scrape the batter into the bowl with the soaked fruit and mix together.

Divide between the prepared moulds and place on a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the puddings have risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, put the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan set over a medium-low heat, then stir constantly until melted and smooth.

Remove the puddings from the oven and immediately turn them out onto plates. Pour the chocolate sauce over the warm puddings and serve.

Cook's tip
The puddings can be frozen for up to 1 month before baking. Freeze uncooked puddings in the moulds, wrapping well in cling film. Remove cling film and bake from frozen at 180°C, gas mark 4 for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.