Find some room for this cracking festive dessert from Ms Skye Gyngell, patron chef of Spring.

No matter how many helpings of turkey and stuffing you’ve had, there’s always space for pud on Christmas Day. Unlike the main course, for which tradition dictates a menu that’s essentially a jazzed-up roast dinner, the possibilities for pudding are endless – do you go for old-school trifle, or something more left-field? But for Ms Skye Gyngell, chef patron of Spring restaurant, one dish always wins the day.

“I unashamedly adore Christmas pudding, and I’m perplexed by those who say they don’t,” says Ms Gyngell, who’s shared her family recipe as part of our series of Christmas dishes from top chefs. “What could be better than a steaming pudding – fragrant with spices, candied peel and brandy – arriving at the table?”

After training in France, Ms Gyngell moved to London, working at Petersham Nurseries before opening her own restaurant, Spring, set in the 19th-century drawing room in Somerset House. “For me, cooking seasonally simply makes sense,” says Ms Gyngell. Her daily-changing menu might include roast partridge with bread sauce, sour cherries and chestnuts, or gnudi (gnocchi-like dumplings made from ricotta rather than potato) with squash and salata, while a pre-theatre “scratch” menu transforms the kitchen’s surplus ingredients into creative dishes, such as lamb koftas with braised greens and polenta.

Ms Gyngell’s Christmas pudding is fairly traditional, served with brandy butter, clementines and, “a warm vacherin cheese in the middle of the table”. Make the brandy butter yourself by beating together unsalted butter, icing sugar and armagnac.

To enjoy it at its best, prep the pudding in advance. “Use the best ingredients you can afford, and make it ahead of time so the flavours can develop,” says Ms Gyngell. And, she continues, “if you’re already making one pudding, it’s easy enough to make two to give as gifts”.  You could even save the extra for next Christmas, says Ms Gyngell, since, “they’ll happily sit for a year in the fridge, and their flavour will only improve.”

Ms Gyngell suggests lighting your pudding before you bring it to the table. “Warm the brandy in a small saucepan, and light it while it’s still in the pan,” says Ms Gyngell. “Pour the flaming brandy all over the pudding at the last minute.”

Makes 2 puddings, each serves 6

360g suet, grated 170g plain flour 180g fresh white breadcrumbs 150g candied peel 350g seedless raisins 350g currants 200g sultanas 170g dark muscovado sugar Grated zest of a lemon Grated zest of an orange ½ nutmeg grated ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground cinnamon Juice of ½ a lemon 4 organic free-range large eggs, lightly beaten 100ml armagnac 550ml whole milk Butter, to grease A small ladleful of brandy, to serve

Stir all the pudding ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined – the mixture should feel quite wet. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave to stand in a cool place overnight.

The following day, pack the mixture firmly into two lightly greased 1 litre pudding basins. Cover the surface with a disc of baking parchment, then cover each basin with a double layer of parchment to secure under the rim with string. Leave a length of string to help you lift the basin out of the pan. Place a trivet in each of two large saucepans (or cook them one at a time). Stand the basin(s) on the trivet(s). Pour in enough boiling water to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the basin and put the lid on.

Bring to the boil over a high heat, then lower the heat slightly and cook for 6 hours, topping up the pan with boiling water as necessary. Lift out the pudding basin and leave to cool to room temperature. Cover again with clean baking parchment and a layer of foil and place in the fridge or store in a cool, dry cupboard until needed.

On Christmas morning, boil the pudding (as above) for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Warm the brandy just before serving. Turn the pudding out onto a warm plate, pour over the brandy and set alight. Bring the flaming pudding to the table. Serve brandy butter alongside, and perhaps a jug of thick pouring cream for those who prefer it.

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