Aldi’s £13 Christmas pudding beats rivals from Harrods and Fortnum & Mason after judges praise its ‘cake-like texture’ and ‘enticing flavours’
- Discount store Aldi wins praise from Which? judges over £12.99 Christmas pud
- Aldi’s offering beat pricier rival puddings from Harrods and Fortnum & Mason
- Asda’s £7 pudding was dubbed a ‘people-pleaser’ and praised for its good looks
Steamed hot, set aflame with a slosh of warmed alcohol and served with a generous dollop of brandy butter… no Christmas lunch would be complete without it.
But while Christmas pudding traditionally combines the most luxurious ingredients, a taste test panel has crowned a discount supermarket’s offering as this year’s star.
Aldi’s premium pud, the Specially Selected Exquisite Vintage Pudding, impressed Which? judges with its ‘cake-like texture’ and ‘enticing flavours’, despite not looking ‘the most traditional’.
While Christmas pudding traditionally combines the most luxurious ingredients, a taste test panel has crowned a discount supermarket’s offering as this year’s star
Going on sale for only £12.99 on December 5, it beat pricier rival puddings from upmarket department stores Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, showing that even families on a budget can enjoy a cracking festive feast.
The expert panel of judges, including top bakers and restaurant owners, noted the Aldi pudding’s ‘orangey kick’ owing to the ‘zesty’ fruit and nut mixture.
Specially praised for its ‘great value’ was Asda’s Extra Special 9 Month Matured Luxury Christmas Pudding, costing a mere £7 for a 907g pud. The judges described it as a ‘people-pleaser’ and having ‘glossy good looks’.
Aldi’s offering beat pricier rival puddings from upmarket department stores Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, showing that even families on a budget can enjoy a cracking festive feast
More upmarket puds that didn’t earn special mention were Harrods’ Decadent Christmas Pudding (£14 for 454g) and Fortnum & Mason’s St James Pudding (£13 for 454g)
Also scoring highly was M&S’s 18-month matured pudding (£14/800g), Waitrose’s Cherry & Almond-topped pudding with Amaretto (£14/800g) and – from Aldi’s main rival – Lidl’s 24-month matured pudding with cognac (£12/907g).
Harry Rose, editor of Which? magazine, said: ‘It’s always interesting to see the challenger supermarkets taking on the big four, and in our expert taste test Aldi delivered a Christmas pudding that really impressed.’
Christmas pudding is traditionally made from 13 ingredients, symbolising Jesus and the 12 apostles, yet many families will have their own fiercely guarded recipe passed on for generations.
Typically the creative process begins on ‘stir-up Sunday’ – the last Sunday before Advent, which this year falls tomorrow. The pudding is usually aged for at least a month, or even a year or longer.
Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi, said: ‘We’re thrilled that our luxury Specially Selected Exquisite Vintage Pudding has been awarded a Which? Best Buy, demonstrating once again that great-tasting, exceptional quality products do not have to come at a premium price.’
More upmarket puds that didn’t earn special mention were Selfridges’ Traditional Christmas Pudding (£16 for 905g), Harrods’ Decadent Christmas Pudding (£14 for 454g) and Fortnum & Mason’s St James Pudding (£13 for 454g).
Specially praised for its ‘great value’ was Asda’s Extra Special 9 Month Matured Luxury Christmas Pudding, costing a mere £7 for a 907g pud. Waitrose’s Cherry & Almond-topped pudding with Amaretto (£14/800g) also scored highly
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