It is only in the last few years I have ventured to make Christmas Pudding. Christmas cakes were my specialty and the pudding was left to Mum. These days Mum doesn’t make pudding anymore, and I don’t blame her. Listen to the video below and you’ll understand why.
So there you have it, cooking the Christmas Pudding in the slow cooker is the answer to all your “pudding making dreams” (well it is for me anyway). The result is as good as any other method and the benefits are huge – no pot-watching and no hot kitchen (although I know in some parts of the world this isn’t an issue). Here’s the recipe I use – a lovely blend of citrus and spices really brings this pudding to life.
Christmas Pudding
Christmas Pudding
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups currants
1 ½ cups raisins, chopped
1 ½ cups sultanas
1/3 cup finely chopped mixed peel
¼ cup rum
250g butter, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
Grated rind 1 orange
Grated rind 1 lemon
4 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
Method
Combine dried fruit, mixed peel and rum in a large bowl. Cover and set aside overnight.
Choose a heatproof bowl or pudding basin that will hold about 6 cups and fit in your slow cooker. Grease the bowl or basin (non stick spray is good) and line with microwave proof plastic wrap.
Cream butter, sugar and rinds together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Stir in soaked fruit. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder, followed by spices and a pinch of salt. Finally fold through the breadcrumbs.
Spoon the mixture into prepared bowl, leaving about 1cm from the top, and level with the back of a spoon. Cover with foil, folding the edges down over the bowl.
Christmas Pudding Into Bowl
Christmas Pudding Covered with Foil
Place into the slow cooker and pour in enough water to come two thirds of the way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Put on the lid and cook on HIGH for 5-7 hours.
Christmas Pudding into the Slow Cooker
The pudding can be turned out and served immediately or stored for Christmas Day. To store the pudding, it should be allowed to cool completely, wrapped well and refrigerated for several weeks or frozen (it’s OK to leave the pudding in the bowl).
To reheat the pudding on Christmas Day, thaw (if necessary) and use one of the following methods:
Microwave – Cover the basin with microwave proof plastic film, or if it is a metallic basin, completely remove the pudding and wrap. Microwave at 55% power (Medium) for around 5 minutes, or until pudding is hot. It should be moist and steaming. Alternatively heat single serves at 70% power in 1 minute bursts.
Slow Cooker – Place pudding bowl into slow cooker and pour in water as before (two thirds of the way up the sides). Reheat on HIGH for 2-3 hours prior to serving, or on LOW for twice this time.
Serve the pudding with custard, whipped cream, brandy butter (my Mum’s favourite) or all three!
The Klutzy Cook Notes
- The fruit can be soaked for longer if you like – no rush.
- Leaving a bit of room at the top of the pudding allows for a little expansion. However, if some of the mixture bubbles over the side and into the slow cooker don’t worry it won’t affect the end result.
- While the suggested cooking time is 5-7 hours, it doesn’t matter if it’s longer – up to 12 hours it will still be fine.
You might even find this method so easy you decide to make more than one pudding – like I did!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks tasty and easy. Would you believe I’ve never had Christmas pudding?
@Alta, you really must try it. You won’t be disappointed.
Hmm, worth waiting for that 7 hours.
Hmm, worth waiting for that 7 hours.
Hello, I am living in the US and my brother in law is from Melbourne. He really misses his Christmas pudding and I intend to make it for him this year as a surprise!…one problem though. I don’t understand what you mean be ‘mixed peel’ in you recipe.. can u clarify for me? Thank you so much!!
Hi Levi,
Mixed peel is a mixture of chopped citrus fruit peel preserved in sugar and glucose. We can buy it in packets here in Australia. It adds a citrus flavour to the pudding but is not critical. You could simply replace it with some freshly grated citrus rind. Good luck and enjoy the pudding.
I made this today. I also made it last year a couple of times- similar recipe to this one. I remembered that the plastic melted into the pudding. I thought I’d give it another go, and used a different slow cooker, same amount of time. It cooked perfectly…………just beautiful. However, same problem, the plastic has melted into the pudding again. I used Glad Microwave proof gladwrap. Any suggestions anyone, and can you eat it like this or do I have to scrape off the sides?
Jen, I have never had this problem with the plastic and would have thought that a microwave safe gladwrap would be fine. I would suggest cutting it away from the sides before eating if it won’t peel away. Maybe try a different brand next time or even some baking paper. Another option would be to just grease the bowl really well so that the pudding slips out easily enough when it’s ready. Good luck and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great Christmas. Sam
Please can you tell me exactly what 250 grams of butter converts to? Ive googled and searched for a while now but no straight answers have i found! Im from america and all we use are the standard measuring cups, so if you could break it down for me into cups and fractions, Id greatly appreciate it!! Thank you! Happy Holidays!!
Hi Christina, 250g of butter is equal to around 1 cup. Here’s some more information that might help here…http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/ . Good luck and Happy Holidays to you too
Hello, Ok I made the pudding last night. I set it in the crock and left it until this morning. Ok first off i didnt use plastic wrap because i was scared itd melt, so i just greased the bowl really well. Ok so i take it out of the crockpot to check it and lifted the foil and in the middle its still liquidy. It just seems to me that its still too raw to be considered done. Now its been cooking for 9 hours exactly so it should be done right?? OH Help!! LOL. This has proven to be much more harder than i thought. The edges look nice and brown like your picture but the middle is still too raw. What do I do from here??? So far all ive done is put it back into the cooker to cook longer. Thanks.
I have been wanting to try making a christmas pudding for years but never had the courage–it looks so complicated!). I am throwing a dickens-themed christmas party in a couple of days, and thought this would be the best time to rise to the challenge. I have been looking all over the place on line, and found a link to your blog on youtube and was intrigued. I made it according to your recipe and in the slow cooker, and it was so easy! I can’t WAIT to try it–it looks and smells gorgeous! Glad I found you
Thanks!
I’m glad you did too Larissa. You won’t be disappointed and have a great party
Can’t wait to try this, but I want to know if it’s ok to put the heatproof bowl(I don’t have a pudding bowl) straight on the bottom of the slow cooker? I’ve been looking at a few traditional recipes which all say to place a saucer or tea towel underneath it. Also for storage if I remove it from the bowl and wrap in glad wrap and keep in the fridge is this ok or do u recommend another way?
Hi Melissa, I have always put the pudding bowl straight into the slow cooker with nothing underneath. I know with traditional boiling methods it is recommended but is not necessary here. Wrapping in glad wrap is fine. Good luck!
Christina, just wondering how it turned out. Usually if it doesn’t seem done, it is just a case of cooking it longer. I’ve never had this problem, so not sure what was going on.
really enjoyed your video of how puddings were a pain to cook and thanks heaps for the tip to cook in slow cooker….I also make lasange in slow cooker cheers