An expert has revealed the common British pudding ingredient that you should swap out to improve the flavour of this classic British dessert. Pudding is about to be baked in its thousands in the lead up to Christmas, with British bakers across the country gearing up for delicious festive celebrations. One expert has revealed how we can improve the taste of a classic British pudding by making an unexpected swap of ingredients.

Around Christmas, Brits will enjoy things like a sticky toffee pudding and a spiced fruit pudding. One expert has revealed the simple way to switch up the flavour in your British pudding this festive season if you want to try something new. Before you make your Christmas pudding, consider swapping this one basic ingredient for something completely different. Daniel Pearse, Executive Pastry Chef for Rhubarb Hospitality Collection, revealed that one change makes all the difference.

"British puddings have a reputation for being heavy, overly sweet, and old-fashioned - but they don't have to be," he said. "A simple way to modernise these classics is to rethink how we use sugar."

He explained that white caster sugar tends to dominate in British pudding recipes, but it can actually be replaced with things like muscovado, light brown, or coconut sugar.

He revealed: "You can use less while achieving greater depth and warmth. Natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup also add nuance and subtlety without overwhelming the dish.

"This one small change can transform the likes of treacle tart, Eve's pudding, or rice pudding from something nostalgic into something contemporary."

He added: "It's about preserving the comfort of the classic while bringing balance and refinement to the plate." While Christmas pudding is packed with flavour, it is rather easy to make.

The Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith, making the delectable boozy 'pud' from scratch, is very easy, sharing her step-by-step guide that makes it hard to go wrong.