cheap family recipes 

feed a family of 4 for less than £200 a month

Christmas Pudding

 

What do I need to make Christmas Pudding

  • 120 g sugar
  • 60 ml vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 300 ml apple juice
  • 250 g mixed dried fruit
  • 200 g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 100 g Self-raising flour

 

How do I make Christmas Pudding

  • Warm the apple juice in a pan and then add the mixed fruit and leave to soak and cool.
  • Heat the sugar with 1 tablespoon of water in a heavy based saucepan, stirring until it darkens to a rich medium nut brown colour.
  • Pour this into the pan or bowl with your fruit. This will harden into toffee and may sizzle, so you will have a lump of toffee in some liquid, but do not panic, after about 20-30 mins cooling time, by stirring, you will be able to re incorporate this back into a liquid consistency.
  • Combine this fruit and sugar mix with all the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring well.
  • Pour into a greased 5.5 to 6.5 inch pudding basin, made of microwave safe plastic, glass or pyrex.
  • This mix can then be microwaved, on full power for 2 sets of 3 minutes with a standing time of 3 minutes in the middle.
  • If after the pudding has rested for a further 5 minutes it isn’t set, you can add another 2 minutes.
  • Alternatively you can steam it on your hob for approximately 2 hrs or in your slow cooker on low for approximately 6 hours.

The end result will not have a runny centre, so aim for a set texture, but still dark and glossy and moist.

To Serve

  • serve with 100 ml whipped whipping cream

What changes can I make to this delicious pudding?

If you are following the Celebration Meal Plan, you have a suggested shopping list, so may not have other options available. If you have more flexibility, you may like some of the ideas below.

  • change the mixed dried fruit to any other dried fruit eg chopped apricots and dates
  • serve with custard instead of cream, and maybe flavour the custard with mixed spice or cinnamon
  • add some nuts, either one kind, or a mixture
    • so maybe chopped apricots and hazelnuts
    • or chopped dates and almonds
    • or dried cranberries and chestnuts

Other puddings you might like

Chocolate Nut Cheesecake

Butternut Squash Tart

Doughnuts

a portion of Christmas pudding, with cream, in a bowl.

Christmas Pudding

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
resting time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 44 minutes
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
English
budget meals
,
cheap family recipes
Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Cost per portion 22p
Calories: 825kcal
Click on the check box to cross off Equipment, Ingredients or Recipe Steps completed.
If you click and buy anything, I may get a small commission on the purchase. It won't cost you anything extra. Some are just things that I like and/or use myself rather than necessarily best value 🙂
If you enjoyed this recipe, would you please consider leaving a review? It would really help

Ingredients

  • 120 g sugar
  • 60 ml oil a vegetable one
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 300 ml apple juice
  • 250 g mixed dried fruit
  • 200 g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg whisked
  • 100 g Self-raising flour

To Serve

  • 100 ml cream whipped

Instructions

  • Warm the apple juice in a pan and then add the mixed fruit and leave to soak and cool.
    300 ml apple juice, 250 g mixed dried fruit
  • Heat the sugar with 1 tablespoon of water in a heavy based saucepan, stirring until it darkens to a rich medium nut brown colour.
    120 g sugar
  • Pour this into the pan or bowl with your fruit. This will harden into toffee and may sizzle, so you will have a lump of toffee in some liquid, but do not panic, after about 20-30 mins cooling time, by stirring, you will be able to re incorporate this back into a liquid consistency.
  • Click here to start a 30 minute timer
  • Combine this fruit and sugar mix with all the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring well.
    60 ml oil, 2 tsp mixed spice, 200 g breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 100 g Self-raising flour
  • Pour into a greased 5.5 to 6.5 inch pudding basin, made of microwave safe plastic, glass or pyrex.
  • This mix can then be microwaved, on full power for 2 sets of 3 minutes with a standing time of 3 minutes in the middle. If after the pudding has rested for a further 5 minutes it isn't set, you can add another 2 minutes.
  • Alternatively you can steam it on your hob for approximately 2 hrs or in your slow cooker on low for approximately 6 hours.
  • The end result will not have a runny centre, so aim for a set texture, but still dark and glossy and moist.

To Serve

  • serve with 100 ml whipped whipping cream
    100 ml cream

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Christmas Pudding
Amount per Serving
Calories
825
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
28
g
43
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
12
g
Cholesterol
 
69
mg
23
%
Sodium
 
399
mg
17
%
Potassium
 
674
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
 
134
g
45
%
Fiber
 
9
g
38
%
Sugar
 
71
g
79
%
Protein
 
14
g
28
%
Vitamin A
 
439
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
233
mg
23
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @ThriftyLesley or tag #ThriftyLesley !

Why Not Try....?

Tomato Houmous

Tomato Houmous

cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for less than £200 a monthTomato HoummousTomato hummus is served once in the month on meal plan 2. What do I need to make tomato hummus ▢ 200 g dry weight chick peas cooked as per packet instructions. If you are using tinned...

Tomato & Olive Pudding

Tomato & Olive Pudding

cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for (just over) £100 a monthTomato & Olive PuddingThis is lovely as a pudding, but I usually bake it as a pie       Why Not Try....?Before putting together our meal planners we surveyed over...

Tangy Bean Pate

Tangy Bean Pate

cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for (just over) £100 a monthTangy Bean PateThis tangy bean pate is made using baked beans. The beans can be changed for a tin of anything else, butter beans, white beans, green lentils, mixed spicy beans, chickpeas etc Make...

Take care of your family and your budget

Before putting together our meal planners we surveyed over 600 people to ask when faced with a tighter budget, which things they would struggle to give up.

Want to know more about how to feed yourself fantastically frugal food?