Christmas Pudding recipes-what's your favourite (or should I just buy one?)

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I saw a Sainsburys Taste the Difference that looked nice (though I don't think they're on special offer now )

If I make one, what recipe is the best (and no Nigel Slater~ism , don't want figs'n'quince )

By the time I buy all the bits and steam it, am I just as well buying one

I'll make a syrup pudding as the alternative, but if I want to make a pudding , I need to get a wriggle on ........................

I'm not usually a fan but I do like the Nigella recipe and if I'm buying then the Heston for Waitrose with the clementine in the middle is good.

I seriously considered making one this year.

Then I remembered that I hate cooking and I especially loathe baking in particular - and that the Waitrose cognac-laced Christmas puddings are absolutely lovely and take 2 seconds to order, as opposed to half an hour of shopping, at least 1 hour of preparing and 6 hours of steaming.

So, Waitrose wins again this year .

Home cooked Christmas pud is way better than any shop one as you can tailor to exactly the way you like it. I put the recipe I technically use below but as I say I edit as I go along. I steam mine in a slow cooker over night - house smells amazing when you wake up! and then microwave on the day...

6oz finely chopped suet

6oz raisins

6oz sultanas

6oz currants

2oz almonds (chopped) (I also sometimes add brazil nuts, I chop quite roughly as like the texture with a bit of 'bite')

3oz plain flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I like nutmeg so tend to grate half of one. I also add whatever extra spices I feel like always cinnamon, bit of mixed spice, sometimes a bit of ginger)

3oz breadcrumbs

6oz moist brown sugar

3oz chopped candied peel (can also add candied ginger or glace cherries)

Grated rind of one lemon

2 eggs

1 small wineglass of brandy, sherry or fruit juice (I think this recipe really needs at least 2 small wineglasses not one. I tend to know it is moist enough by if you move all the mixture there is maybe a teaspoon or so of fluid left at the bottom. Any alcohol works, I tried wine one year, was fine).

A little milk.

Sift together all the dry ingredients; beat the eggs and add them and the liquids, Stir.

Steam for 5-6 hours

Delia Smith's recipe, turns out fantastic every time, it makes 2 so only need to make on alternate years.
For the year old pud, it gets spiked with more booze before Xmas.

My DMum would never let me live it down if I bought a pudding .

I'm going to make one, I have a pack of vegetarian Trex lounging about in the fridge demanding to be used.

I;m all for simpler puddings, no cranberries or ginger or any of that malarky.

I'm going to put a whole almond in (safer than a 6d coin ) and some grated rind.

(Going to tidy the pantry and see what's lurking.......................)

Hurrah! Just a note if you do use above recipe - it makes 2 puddings...

I'll do half, in my Portmerion Pudding Basin.

I need to buy some whole almonds, glace cherries , stout and a lemon, I have everything else.
I'm putting sultanas in (I don't like the richer currants and raisins) and walnuts (because I found a bag of them)

I made figgy toffee pudding last year instead....looked terrible...tasted AWESOME.

Aldi's one with orange slices round the outside and gold dust on top is completely delish - we've had it the past two years and will again this year. But then... I think any Christmas pud is delish

Mary Berry's recipe, with chopped apricots instead of chopped mixed peel which is the Devil's dandruff.