How to light your Christmas pudding – festive cooking advice you need to know

IT'S the show stopping dessert everyone needs on Christmas Day - but lighting your Christmas pudding can be tricky.

If you follow these simple steps, your pud is sure to be a flaming success.

1

How do I light my Christmas pudding?

Here is a simple guide to lighting your dessert:

1. Turn your steamed pudding onto a serving plate with a decent sized rim so you have room to pour the brandy.
2. Get the brandy, or whichever spirit you're using, really hot. Pour 2-3 tablespoons into a metal ladle and heat over a gas flame until hot. Or you can heat it in a saucepan.
3. Light the spirit by tilting the ladle slightly over the flame so the fumes ignite. Once it is alight, immediately pour it over the pudding. Make sure the flames have gone out before serving.

Top tip: If you're not a fan of brandy, you can use other spirits to light your pudding.

Rum and whisky will also work without spoiling the taste.

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Which Christmas puddings are on the market this year?

For a pud at a great price. Co-op's Irresistible Rich and Fruity Christmas Pudding is just £3.

And Asda's £6.50 Extra Special Christmas pudding won the Christmas pudding category in BBC Good Food's blind Christmas taste test.

We've also revealed how to make the festive treat vegan-friendly.