Mini Christmas Pudding

One of the cornerstones of a festive feast and once banned by Oliver Cromwell in the 1640s, you're guaranteed to find some room in a groaning belly for a warm, rich Christmas pudding filled with a Yuletide mix of fruit, nuts and spices.

Whereas you're typically looking at a steaming time for one of these beauties in the 7-8 hour range, going mini means you can get these from oven to the table in just under 2 hours, leaving you plenty of time to really get into the Christmas spirit. The only trade-off is that these might not be as dark and intense-looking as your regular pud, but don't worry, the flavours are all there.

Try to make sure you give the filling plenty of time to stew in its own juices - overnight really is on the shorter end of things. Feel free to mix up your dried fruit selection and your choice of nuts, just as long as you keep them to the same weight. Don't sleep on the humble mixed peel, as it gives a nice tart element to the fruit mix. Oh, and glace cherries are a must.

The liquor selection might be a bit out of the ordinary, but the Pedro Ximenez is a Nigella recommendation, and unsurprisingly is totally worth it if you can find it. Otherwise, sherry, brandy or dark rum will do just fine. The stout adds to the overall richness of the pudding and pairs well with the fruit.

If you've made these before the big day, you can just steam them again or give them a zap in the microwave for a couple of minutes to reheat.

Did I mention these things last forever? To give you some idea, traditionally puddings are made on 'stir-up Sunday' that happened fully five weeks before Christmas, where all the family took a turn to stir the mixture and make a wish.