Cook along with Darina Allen as she makes her famous Christmas plum pudding 

In an exclusive video for ieFood, Darina shows how she makes the pudding recipe handed down to her from her mother in her home kitchen at Ballymaloe

Christmas Pudding decorated with holly leaves on red background

"In our house," says Darina Allen "plum pudding was usually made in mid-November on Stir Up Sunday. Everyone in the family had to stir so that we could make a wish - I now know that it helped to mix it properly.

"It has always been the tradition in our house to eat the first plum pudding on the evening it is made. The grandchildren can hardly contain themselves with excitement - somehow that plum pudding seems the most delicious, it’s our first taste of Christmas."

Stir Up Sunday always falls on the last Sunday before advent so, this year, the date is November 21. Originally an Anglican tradition, the idea of Stir Up Sunday is now no longer tied to religion and is a celebration of family coming together to prepare for Christmas. With five weeks to go, gather the children and invite them all to make a wish as you begin the prep for the festive season. 

Plum pudding with Mrs Hanrahan's sauce

recipe by:Darina Allen

This Christmas classic is deliciously rich, dark and filled with fruit and made all the more delicious with Mrs Hanrahan's sauce

Servings

10

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 340g raisins

• 340g sultanas

• 340g currants

• 340g brown sugar

• 340g white breadcrumbs

• 340g suet, finely chopped

• 110g candied peel 

• 2 cooking apples, diced or grated

• rind of 1 unwaxed lemon

• 2tsp cloves 

• pinch of salt

• 6 eggs

• 62ml Jamaica rum

• 110g chopped almonds, chopped

• For Mrs. Hanrahan’s Sauce:

• 110g (4oz) butter

• 200g (7oz) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown sugar)

• 1 egg, preferably free-rang and organic

• 62ml (2 ½ fl oz) medium sherry

• 62ml (2 ½ fl oz) port

• 1.3 – 1.4 litres lightly whipped cream 

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together very thoroughly and leave overnight; don’t forget, everyone in the family must stir and make a wish! The next day, stir again for good measure.

2. Fill into pudding bowls; cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle for ease of lifting. Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for six hours. The water should come halfway up the side of the bowl. Check every hour or so and top up with boiling water if necessary.

3. Remove the pudding after six hours and allow it to get cold. Re-cover it with fresh greaseproof paper and store in a cool dry place until required.

4. To make the sauce, melt the butter, stir in the sugar and allow to cool slightly. Whisk the egg and add to the butter and sugar with the sherry and port. Refrigerate until using - this will keep for a number of weeks in the fridge. When needed, add the lightly whipped cream to taste.

5. On Christmas Day or whenever you wish to serve the pudding, steam for a further two hours. Turn the pudding out of the bowl onto a very hot serving plate, pour over some whiskey or brandy and ignite. Serve immediately on very hot plates with brandy butter. You might like to decorate the plum pudding with a sprig of holly; however, take care, because the last time I did that I provided much merriment by setting the holly and my fringe on fire as well as the pudding!

For more Christmas inspiration, check out our collection of Christmas recipes.