Nana Lily’s Puddings

Nana Lily’s decadent, fruity Christmas pudding goes back four generations all the way to my Great Grandmother on the West Coast of Ireland. This fruit filled traditional plum pudding is flavoured with warm Christmas spices and liberally laced with Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, with the recipe remaining unchanged over the years. My festive puddings won acclaim with family and friends, it wasn’t long before demand grew and I was persuaded to start selling these mouth-watering delights.

The recipe passed down to me from my grandmother and Mother both of whom were called Lily but it dates back four generations to my Great-grandmother who lived in Ballina Co Mayo, incidentally where Joe Biden’s Great Grand Father was from only a couple of miles over the River Moy.

Originally the puddings would have been steamed over an open peat fire and my mother recalls memories of being a young child and sitting by the fire to make sure the pot didn’t boil dry. The age old recipe is combined with 21st century methods to ensure the puddings remain at their peak, using the only remaining traditional boiler in England.

Since our launch 2016, when I joined Savid Javid on a trade mission to Chicago, we quickly went on to win several Guild of Fine Foods Great Taste Awards, we are happy to say we are now a Great Taste Producer.

My mouth watering traditional recipe has even captured the Interest US senate, enjoyed by The British Royal Family and now sold into Japan, Europe and United Emerites. This year we have the honour and feel extremely privileged to be invited to stock our products at the Hankyu department store, British Fair.

In 2020, during lock down, we began developing a range of sponge puddings, using traditional recipes putting a modern twist, to include: Ultimate sticky toffee with Irish cream and Luscious Limoncello sponge pudding, Ginger and Rum pudding, with a non-alcohol range also available.

Furthermore, in 2022 we were included in the Late Queen’s Official Jubilee Commemorative Album, with our puddings being served at a banquet in her honour at Claridge’s Hotel.

In just a few short years Nana Lily’s has grown from a kitchen-table endeavour to an international business. And although I am happy to share all my wonderful recipes for you to enjoy, I still remain committed to the principles of home cooking that began all those years ago with my great-grandmother.