Irish plum pudding and brandy butter recipe

Method: Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then add lemon rind, juice and eggs. Mix really well. Place the mixture in a well-greased 1½ pint/850ml bowl and cover the bowl with two well-greased pieces of greaseproof paper. Steam the mixture for six hours and then remove the paper.

Ignore any fat lying on the top of the pudding as it will be absorbed. Once the pudding is cold, recover it, still in its bowl, with fresh paper and store it for up to three months. You can douse it in rum or brandy occasionally if you like a pudding with a kick. On Christmas morning, steam it for three hours.

A traditional Irish plum pudding is brought to the table aflame. Obviously you need to take extra care doing this. Before serving, pour brandy or any other alcohol over the pudding and set it alight.

Brandy butter

This is a very simple brandy butter recipe that can be made two or three weeks in advance of its arrival on the Christmas dinner table. Because you get to taste it as you go, you'll find it puts you rather nicely in the Christmas spirit! You can freeze it if you wish, but it keeps well enough in the fridge without being frozen.

Ingredients:

Method: Using either a food processor or a hand whisk, blend the room temperature butter with the sugar until it is soft and creamy. Once it is smooth, add in a small quantity of brandy. Mix well. Repeat until all the brandy is used up. Taste, and add more brandy if you think it needs it.

Put the mixture into a sealed container and wait for Christmas Day. Serve, as cold as possible, with plum pudding.

Where next?

• Indulge in an Irish coffee after your pudding.
• More Irish Christmas recipes.
• Try these traditional Irish food recipes at any time of year.
• Find out about creating the right festive atmosphere with these Irish Christmas traditions.