If you have yet to decide what Christmas pudding to serve at Christmas dinner then we recommend our most popular recipe, our easy Christmas pudding, which lets the microwave do the hard work. It can even be made on the same day. To get the best marriage of flavors, always use the same liquor in the sauce that you have in your pudding. So, if the pudding was made with rum, you can substitute rum for the brandy. And if you love brandy, you've got to try some of these gorgeous brandy butter chocolate fondants – perfect for serving to friends and family this festive season.

Young children should probably have brandy sauce before the brandy goes in. Parents have to make the decision with older children, but it’s easy to keep some aside with less brandy because of the way I’ve adapted this recipe. The brandy goes in at the end, so you can always pour some out and then add more brandy for those who like it a bit more boozy! It’s a must to serve on plum pudding (another name for Christmas pudding or figgy pudding).All appliances vary, the following are guidelines only. MICROWAVE: Empty pot contents into a non-metallic jug. Place jug on a microwaveable plate. Heat on full power for the time specified (750w - 2 mins, stir and re-cover, 1 mins 45 sec, 850w - 2 mins, stir and re-cover, 1 mins 35 sec, 1000w - 2 mins, stir and re-cover, 1 min 20 sec). Stand for 1 minute after heating. Stir before serving. HOB: Empty contents of pot into a saucepan and heat gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not boil. Ensure product is thoroughly heated and piping hot throughout. Do not reheat.

First, let me explain that there are two types of brandy sauce: savory and sweet. This brandy sauce, which is traditionally used on Christmas pudding, is sweet. A savory brandy sauce is often made to serve with steak. ReservedSlotData.TimeSlot.DayOfWeekString}}, {{ReservedSlotData.TimeSlotReservation.Day}} {{ReservedSlotData.TimeSlotReservation.DisplayMonth}} Whisk well so that the sauce is completely smooth. If you did happen to get any lumps or curdled sauce, simply us an immersion blender, or small blender to make the sauce smooth (I won’t tell)! I’ve never had it happen with custard, so if you follow my directions, you won’t need the blender. For a vanilla-brandy flavor, add 1 split and scraped vanilla bean to the sauce along with the sugar. Remove the vanilla bean before adding the brandy.In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes and then stir in the milk. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. There are two main types of sweet brandy sauce: an egg based, custard-type sauce (which is the recipe I’ll be sharing with you), and a white sauce based sauce. The latter is made with flour and butter, so it isn’t gluten free. This variation is best for those who cannot have eggs. The recipe I’ll be sharing with you is best for those who cannot have gluten.