Christmas puddings? You should have gone to Iceland, Ma’am!
Shock as Queen’s grocer is last in taste test behind budget store
IT IS celebrated as the Queen’s grocer, but Fortnum & Mason now has an unwanted claim to fame – getting the wooden spoon in an experts’ blind taste test of this year’s Christmas puddings.
Equally surprising, however, was the decision by judges to crown the offering from budget frozen food chain Iceland as the winner.
Costing £10.95, Fortnum’s St James Christmas Pudding (454g) is sold in a festive red box, and is described as ‘light and elegant’ with the finest dried fruits and ‘a well-judged quantity of Pusser’s full-strength navy rum and Fortnum’s own cognac’.
But the judging panel put together by consumer watchdog Which? branded the Fortnum’s dessert ‘a total disaster’, adding that there was so much salt they believed ‘there must have been a mistake with the recipe’ during production.
Iceland’s £6 Luxury 12-month matured Christmas Pudding (750g) was loved by the judges for its ‘rich, boozy flavour of alcohol and plenty of nuts’. One judge said it was ‘pretty perfect’.
The Iceland label promises ‘a rich fruit pudding with cider, brandy, sherry, cognac, almonds and pecan nuts’. It scored a total of 75 per cent based on taste, aroma, texture and appearance, while the Fortnum offering was rated just 40 per cent and was the second most expensive. The runner-up was also the cheapest, the Co-op’s £3 Irresistible Christmas Pudding (400g) which scored 73 per cent. Judges said it looked and smelled ‘wonderful’. They enjoyed the subtle balance of spice and alcohol but would have preferred a few more nuts to vary the texture.
Harrods’ Classic Christmas Pudding (454g) – at £13, the most expensive dessert – came third, scoring 70 per cent.
It did not have a traditional flavour but it had an authentic Christmas smell and contained so much fruit it was the sweetest pudding. It is recommended for those who don’t like the typical pudding taste.
Harry Rose, editor of Which? magazine, said: ‘Our results go to show that when it comes to serving a crowd-pleaser, price is no guarantee of quality.’
The judges were award-winning bakers Patrick Moore and Dan Lepard, bakery author and broadcaster Suzy Pelta, and Ryan Simpson, chef proprietor of Orwells restaurant in Shiplake, Oxfordshire, where the tastings were held in October.
Puddings from Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose were also tested. The full results are in the latest issue of Which? magazine. Delighted Iceland head chef Nigel Nugent said: ‘The pudding follows a classic recipe and the balance of brandy, sherry and cognac make it a winner.’
Fortnum & Mason did not respond to requests for comment.