Some people say the secret to a delicious Christmas pudding is the length of time it's left to mature. Others swear by a particular kind of alcohol – brandy, rum or sherry – to elevate the humble mix of dried fruit, eggs and butter.
To be honest, I've been a little put off homemade Christmas puddings ever since my mum made one which grew a fur – yes, a fur – after she followed instructions to leave it in the airing cupboard to mature. So it's very reassuring to hear that one supermarket's Christmas pudding has been given a rave review in an independent taste test.
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Consumer choice gurus Which? assembled a panel of food and drink experts, then asked them to score Christmas puddings from 10 different UK supermarkets in a blind taste test. Lidl's 24-month matured Christmas pudding came out on top, receiving a score of 81% and praise for having "a good variety of nuts and fruit". It was duly named Which?'s 'Best Buy'," the i reports.
"Christmas dinners would be incomplete without a show-stopping Christmas pudding to round it off. We want people to be confident that the pudding they choose isn’t going to disappoint and that’s why Which? set out to find the very best on offer," said the brand's director of research Nikki Stopford. "Only products that deliver excellence are awarded Which? Best Buy status, so shoppers can be confident that this year’s star pudding will be the perfect finish to their Christmas dinner."
The Lidl pudding costs a relatively hefty £11.99 for a 907g serving. But Asda's much cheaper 'Extra Special' Christmas pudding, available for just £4, scored an impressive 72% rating from the expert panel, the i reports. Just make sure that whichever one you buy doesn't get stored in an airing cupboard.
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