Discounter beats M&S, Waitrose and other supermarkets in battle of the puddings.
Our latest Christmas blind taste test involved 11 Christmas puddings. It’s a good job we do these tests near the end of the day, as many were ready to rehearse for Christmas Day with a quick nap.
But which pud was the tastiest? You might find the results surprising, as one of the best value puddings beat the traditional heavy hitters of the luxury market, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer, to this year's crown.
The results
11th place: Iceland – 3.6/10
This Rich Fruit Pudding with Cider, Sherry and Rum got some pretty damning feedback. Two words thrown around by testers were “gelatinous” and “gloopy,” and they hated the boozy aftertaste following an “overly sweet” bite. “Uninspiring”, alas.
10th place: Figgy’s – 5.1/10
A big step up from Iceland’s efforts and our only non-high street effort, Figgy’s Luxury Handmade Christmas Pudding received a mixed reaction. Some people liked the orange tang, while others thought the flavour lacked body. Unremarkable, sadly, considering the handmade credentials.
9th place: Co-op – 5.6/10
Co-op’s Loved by Us pud has “subtle” flavours that won some fans, but they were perhaps too subtle for others, who thought it bland. The other main criticism levelled at this one is that it had too many raisins and not any substance beyond that. It’s not terrible, but it’s nothing memorable.
8th place: Marks and Spencer – 5.7/10
In all fairness to M&S, some people loved their Intensely Fruity pudding, saying that it stuck to the traditional formula well. However, that seems to have made it a bit unexciting, and though it’s a solid pud it’s not going to make it to the Lovefood dinner table this year.
7th place: Asda – 5.8/10
A decent attempt from Asda – their Extra Special pudding, created in conjunction with Leith’s Cookery school, was a nice enough effort marred by a dry texture. “Nice big nuts” said one person, in a comment that brought to mind those Carry On film repeats on Boxing Day.
6th place: Morrisons – 5.9/10
The M Signature Jewelled Fruit pudding has a nice topping of fruit but is a bit heavy on the orange flavour. “Needs a bit more booze” remarked one taster. It does also overdo the fruit a bit at the expense of the quality of the pudding itself, which is a bit too sweet.
5th place: Aldi – 6.2/10
“Whoa brandy!” “Boozy Pud!” “Tastes like liquor.” Getting the picture? This one goes heavy on the booze – probably a little too much, and the pud is still a bit dry. Still, there are some subtle fruit flavours to appreciate once you get past the initial impact of the alcohol.
4th place: Waitrose – 6.3/10
A respectable score for Waitrose’s Richly Fruited pudding, even if their pud is “a bit too cakey.” “Nice boozy, nutty texture” though, so it’s definitely not all bad.
3rd place: Tesco – 6.4/10
After taking first place in the mince pie taste test, Tesco picks up the bronze medal for its finest* Cherry Topped pudding. “Nice chunks of fruit”, “classic Christmas pud”, say our tasters. A safe choice.
2nd place: Sainsbury’s – 6.6/10
Though the booze “hits the back of your throat”, it’s a moist pudding that follows a classic formula and does it really well. “Good fruit to nut ratio” said one person, and another commented that it’s not too heavy either. A well-balanced pudding.
1st place: Lidl – 7.2/10
With by far the highest score, Lidl is this year’s winner. It seems that they’ve made some serious changes this year – in 2013, it came second to last. The Snowy Lodge Luxury Cherry & Pecan pudding costs a tenner for almost a kilogram of pudding, which is pretty good value if you've got a houseful. It’s supposed to serve eight people, but I think it’d stretch to 10 after Christmas dinner – that’s just a pound a head.
“Lovely caramelised texture with lots going on”, “I love the big nuts and fruit, looks impressive – winner!” and “good consistency” – this pudding received almost universally positive comments and marks, with the only criticism being that it has too much stuff on top of it.
Do you agree with our tasters? What’s your favourite pudding? Let us know in the Comments below.
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