Every year is the year you're going to make a Christmas Pudding of your own, and not buy one in, and every year you stare at the recipes and think "Oh, I can't be bothered to steam for 2 days and then store for 6 months".

 Why is it so necessary to steam over steam for so long? I mean, a Christmas Pudding is basically a classic suet-based steam pudding. Suet-based steam puddings do remarkably well in a microwave, so why can't you do one in the microwave?

You can.

Yup, you read that right, you can. I'm not saying it's perfect, but compared to the realistic alternative - the shop bought mass produced special - it's a big improvement. This will take you less than half-an-hour from start to finish.

It's based on several recipes, mainly a Raymond Blanc (yup, a Frenchman's Christmas Pudding recipe), Mrs Beeton and a few others, plus a healthy dollop of what I liked spice-wise and fruit-wise in a pudding. 

The Ingredients

This makes 2 x 1 litre puddings. Most recipes I've seen involve making enough Christmas pudding for the whole street. We live in Sweden, and not many people are that keen on sharing it... If you only fancy one pudding, you can safely half it. All times assume a 1 litre pudding.

Dry ingredients in a large bowl 

125g each of raisins, currants, sultanas, bread crumbs, soft brown sugar and glacé cherries

40g of flaked almonds

1/2 quince, chopped finely 

50g candied peel

25g wholemeal flour / grahams flour

125g suet

1/4tsp cinnamon

1/2tsp nutmeg

1/2tsp mace

1/2tsp all spice

1/2tsp mixed spice

1/2tsp ginger

Mix well together. 

Wet ingredients whisked together 

1/2 cup of fresh orange juice (NOT from concentrate)

2 eggs, beaten 

50ml brandy 

Mix 

Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients. With a large spoon gently fold in the liquid. DO NOT overwork it. Treat it like you would muffins, otherwise it will get very tough.

Line a microwavable Pyrex bowl with greased greaseproof paper - the easiest way is to get a large sheet, scrunch it up, and then unfold it and then grease it.

Pour half the mix into the bowl. Cover loosely with cling film and stab twice to create a couple of small holes - no more!

Put in the microwave, and microwave on 500 watts for 20 minutes.

Take out of the microwave, and leave to cool before removing from bowl still in the paper.

 Repeat with the second half of mixture.

Next day, reheat for 4 mins or so in the microwave, and serve.

Enjoy!