This is a deliciously tangy recipe for Christmas pudding that’s both sugar free and, if you pick your beer carefully, vegan. I’ve been making it for many years, since my vegan days, and my whole family rate it as the best Christmas pudding they’ve had. Be warned though, these quantities make a lot. That’s why I’m not actually making one this year—I’ve still got one of last year’s in the cupboard!

Ingredients

• 100g whole wheat flour
• 200g whole wheat bread crumbs
• 200g currants
• 200g sultanas
• 200g raisins
• rind of 1 orange
• rind and juice of 1 lemon
• 25g ground almonds
• handful of coarsely chopped almonds
• ½ teaspoon each of
  • ground ginger
  • cinnamon
  • mixed spice
• 5 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 275ml of your favourite dark ale or stout

Method

Mix all the ingredients together. Divide into sensible sized puddings. Roll up each pudding in baking parchment, then wrap  in two layers of tin foil.

Steam in a pressure cooker at full pressure for at least 1 hour.

Reheat by steaming in a pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes.

To serve, poor warmed brandy over the pudding and set light to it.