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Christmas puddings: you get what you pay for

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Rich in flavour and moist in texture, Christmas puddings have been around since medieval England. Product review magazine Choice has acknowledged the arduous nature of choosing the right Christmas pudding, releasing a review of 14 Christmas puddings for consumers.

According to their website, Choice taste testers "assessed the puddings for general appearance, quality of finish, moistness, texture, mixture quality, flavour, and aroma."

Experts also considered the shape, weight, spice and alcohol flavours and quality of fruit when judging the puddings.

The review concluded that when it comes to Christmas puddings, it pays to spend a few extra dollars. Higher-end puddings such as Crooked Creek’s Authentic English Christmas Pudding and Pud for All Seasons Traditional Plum Pudding rated much higher than their cheaper counterparts, such as those that can be purchased from your local Coles or Woolies.

Related: 10 top Aussie Christmas recipes

The experts chose these top puddings for their rich, fruity aromas, good balance of flavours and ability to maintain their shape when cut.

If you’re thinking about making your own pud, Choice suggests you might have missed the deadline. "If you haven’t yet started making your own pudding for Christmas Day, according to custom you’ve left it too late. Stir-up Sunday (the fifth Sunday before Christmas) was 25 November this year."

For those of you who are running a bit short of time or consider yourselves a dud in the kitchen, we have compiled a few tips on how to dress up a store-bought Christmas Pudding.


Quick tips to dress up a store-bought Christmas Pudding:

1. To add a richer flavor, the night before serving, remove the lid from the pudding and drizzle four tablespoons of rum or brandy. Place the lid back on the pudding and set aside for overnight.
2. Follow cooking instructions very carefully and be aware that all microwaves vary.
3. Serve the pudding with custard, cream and remaining rum or brandy.

So whether you decide to make your own or stick to store-bought puddings, you can rest assured there is a vast selection of Christmas puddings available for every taste and budget.

Related: How to cook the perfect Christmas pudding

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