Phil's Christmas pudding with brandy custard sauce

Phil’s back in the kitchen with his cheat's guide to the perfect Christmas pudding - leaving you time to wrap the presents and deck your halls all before your guests arrive at the front door.

Christmas pudding

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

250ml sloe gin50g black treacle1 tbsp mixed spice100g soft brown sugar100g raisins100g sultanas1 small apple grated200g chopped Medjool dates100g currants50g candied fruits chopped optional150ml extra virgin olive oil50g toasted almonds, chopped100g plain flour3 medium eggs beaten¼ tsp salt

**Method**

• Place the gin, treacle, spice and sugar into a pan and just dissolve over a low heat

• Pour over the fruit, add the olive oil, then cover with cling film and leave to cool completely overnight so the fruit plumps up well

• Next day add the almonds and flour, mix briefly, then add the eggs and finally salt

• Spoon into a 2lb non-stick loaf tin, sealed well with oiled foil

• Place the tin into a deep tray and pour boiling water half way up the side of the tin (make sure it's this high at all times)

• Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, 190C Gas 5. The centre of the pudding should be above 65C.

• This recipe can be also be made into eight small 6.5cm diameter plastic pots and steamed for 45 minutes

• Once cooked remove from the tray and wrap in cling film, cool and refrigerate until needed. I slice and gently warm in a microwave, and serve with sauce or butter.

Brandy butter

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

250g soft salted butter75mls Brandy or better still ArmagnacZest and juice of 1 lemon115g golden icing sugar¼ tsp grated fresh nutmeg¼ tsp mixed spice

**Method**

Mix the butter, Brandy or Armagnac, lemon juice and zest, icing sugar, nutmeg, mixed spice together in a bowl and serve at at room temperature with the christmas pudding.

Brandy custard sauce

Makes about 600ml

**Ingredients**

568ml full cream milk30g custard powder, mixed with 4 tbsp cold water55g unrefined caster sugar55g cold salted butter, cut into small cubesBrandy or Armanac to taste

**Method**

• Boil the milk and thicken with the custard powder/water mix

• Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar and cold butter until dissolved

• Finally stir in the Brandy or Armanac, cover and keep warm