It is the pièce de résistance at every festive dinner party, so make sure you have got a showstopping dessert to offer your guests this Christmas.
From gooey Yule logs to gluttonous trifles, there’s something out there to suit everyone. But if you like something a bit more traditional, go for a classic Christmas pudding. Here’s our review of some of the best supermarket versions for 2018.
If you are doing Christmas on a budget look no further than Co-op’s ‘Irresistible’ offering. You will be hard-pressed to find better value for money. In fact, even if money is no object, it should be considered, such is the satisfaction that will be derived from this pudding. 4.5/5
Are you the designated driver? You might want to steer clear of this pudding. The 24 months of “maturing” with Courvoisier Cognac, have rendered this pudding monumentally boozy. Occasionally the fruit and pecan nut elements of the pudding come to the fore, but both are ultimately drowned out. 2/5
Decorated with candied orange slices, liqueur-soaked cherries and sprinkled with an edible gold glitter sparkle makes this sparkly pud from Aldi really stand out from the crowd, but unfortunately it doesn’t deliver on taste. It’s steeped in orange liqueur, brandy and port but somehow just isn't quite boozy enough. 3/5
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Brioche, Orange & Almond Pudding (Photo: Sainsbury's)
You might expect a Waitrose pudding to be at the top of the price range, but this isn’t the dearest around for 2018. Despite this, it tastes expensive - the 12 month maturing process evidently adding to the rich, rounded flavour, the Courvoisier VSOP cognac cream permeating the plump and juicy fruit, the pecans light to the bite. Rich, although not too heavy, it will provide eight (modest) portions and a classy end to Christmas dinner. 4/5
The high fruit to cake ratio of this Christmas pudding makes it a particularly moist affair. Another benefit - or side-effect depending on your outlook - is that the fruit retains the Courvoisier VS Cognac flavour brilliantly, giving this a rich, expensive taste and heady aroma. It’s also packed full of nuts to add crunch and definition, although the cake itself has a cloying texture and it sticks to the palette. 3/5
This pudding may well be as close to homemade as you can get. The texture is moist and there is a melee of flavours, particularly rich with fruit. Though there is less of a taste of brioche or almond, this doesn’t take anything away from what is a decadent yet authentic Christmas pudding. 4/5
