AN artisan pudding maker from Darlington has won their first national contract.

Burtree Puddings has been asked to supply their luxury Christmas puddings to selected English Heritage shops across England.

Their Traditional and Deluxe puddings will be on sale from Kent to Northumberland including at Stonehenge; Kenwood House; Dover Castle; Belsay Hall Castle and Gardens; Audley End House; Kenilworth Castle; Wrest Park; Whitby Abbey; and Brodsworth Hall from October.

Lea Darling, who runs the family business with husband Robert, said: "We’re delighted to be supplying these English Heritage sites, and we hope customers will be pleased with our handmade, quality Christmas Puddings.

"One of our aims is to reach out to pudding fans across the nation, as well as grow the online sales for our entire range, so to have our products stocked further afield is a really positive step for us."

The couple, who are also members of The Guild of Fine Food, were approached by Tracy Davoile, the retail buyer of food and drink at English Heritage, at the Harrogate Fine Food Show.

She said: "We love the packaging, ingredients and flavour of these Christmas Puddings by Burtree – it’s the quintessential English pudding and it will fit in with the rest of our Christmas offering.

"The sites we have chosen to stock the Christmas Puddings are our biggest and busiest which are open on weekends throughout the Christmas period so we hope as many of our customers as possible will be able to see our Christmas range."

Mrs Darling created the recipes for their three Christmas Puddings, which includes a gluten-free version, although it is Robert who now makes them.

They are made daily in batches of up to 300 in the run-up to Christmas at Burtree House Farm where the business is based.

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