Delia Smith’s traditional Christmas Pudding

[MeanMrMustardSeed]

I’m planning on making this after half term and am just looking at the recipe. If you’ve made this, do you use barley wine, and if so, where do you get it from? Or what do you use as a substitute? More stout? I’ve never used rum before - and recommendations on which one?

Any general advice about making it very much appreciated! Thank you.

Bigger supermarkets sometimes stock barley wine close to Christmas. It tends to come in packs of 4 cans so I offer spares on Facebook. Failing that, try a good independent off licence.

Thank you, that’s very helpful! I’ve never come across it before. I’ll keep an eye out. I’ve seen people liken it to pudding wine, so was wondering if I could use a Sauterne? Is that totally different flavouring though?

Now I’ve read barley wine is a beer! I see that makes sense with your comment about a 4 pack!

Have made Delia's pudding every year for decades now.

I just use double the quantity of stout and no barley wine. Apparently barley wine was widely available in the 70s when the recipe was written.

I make this every year! Never get/find barley wine, just use extra stout.

It is a beer not a wine as PP said; so replace with extra beer.

Thank you so much! I’ll look out for it on the off-chance, but great to know I can just make up the quantities with the stout. Really appreciate the advice.

I got some last year, I think I got it in Asda

I also just use extra stout. Even if I could find it, I wouldn't go to the expense of buying barley wine - which I think is more of a beer anyway. It's a gorgeous pudding

Same as everyone else. I've been making Delia's pudding for decades and used to be able to get a four pack of barley wine, think I bought it in Waitrose or maybe even Tesco. However, I haven't been able to find it anywhere for at least the past three years so I just double the amount of stout. For the rum I just use any cheap one, we don't drink rum but have a bottle that I think we won in a tombola or something so that comes out every year!

I made it once and found barley wine in Sainsbury’s. It seems to be a strong beer so you could probably substitute any strong ale, Brewdog make sure me very strong beers.

The brand I normally buy is Gold Label and I normally get it in Asda or Sainsbury's. One 3 pack lasts me 4 years 😀 There are so many flavours in Xmas pudding that I doubt it would be noticeable if swapped out for something else though

As everybody else as said, just use something similar (strong beer) instead.

You will thank yourself. Delia's Xmas pudding is food of the gods.

You can buy it on Amazon

I’m planning on making this after half term
You could make it with the DC during half term week. Everyone gets a stir and a wish!

My dad used to drink barley wine in the 1970s/80s. I've also been making this for years. I'm in France now so the barley wine is harder to find. I use stout and dark beer, or just stout. And whatever rum we have in the house!

Oh yes, Amazon. But I've never been able to find less than 12 tins of it, and sometimes quite a lot more, on there.

You are so right, but I generously offer my children to my mum to bake with, and I sneakily do my own while they’re at school in peace and order!

Thanks everyone, I’m so pleased I asked! I’m very excited about making my first ever Christmas pudding. I’ve got my eye on a gorgeous Cornish pudding basin (it was v hard finding a 2lb one) and have aspirations to make one every year in it, handing it on a family heirloom to the next generation…

How far in advance can Xmas pudding be made?

Very very far. Like make 2 and keep one for next year far.

They are basically dried fruit + alcohol. They probably keep for decades.

I only make them every second year about Sept/Oct time, use one and then keep the other in its basin and wrapped in foil for the next year. Just checked a week ago and the pudding from last year is still perfect so one less job for this Christmas!