Dessert can make a meal, and with Christmas around the corner, it might be a lot of pressure to choose the right one.

Consumer group Choice has made the decision-making process a little easier by putting in the hard yards in the form of Christmas pudding testing.

Choice tested 18 puddings, ranging from affordable options from the country’s biggest supermarket chains to high-end offerings by specialist producers.

“Our expert panel blind tasted all 18 Christmas puddings, and assessed them on a number of criteria, including appearance and quality of finish, flavour and aroma, and quality of the mixture,” Choice editor Pru Engel said on Tuesday.

Only one supermarket chain made the top three in the Christmas pudding rankings; quite a feat given the rest of the top spots were taken by specialty pudding producers.

1. Coles Finest Luxury Christmas Pudding

Best value wins. Photo: Choice

Choice rating: 84 per cent

Price: $12 ($1.33 per 100 grams)

One of the cheapest puddings put to the test, this Coles’ offering proved its value by beating out more expensive specialist puddings on offer.

“According to our judges, the Coles pudding is a great option if you’re looking for a pudding that is rich and generous with fruit and nuts. It’s moist but doughy, and works well as a special occasion pudding,” Ms Engel said.

2. The Traditional Plum Pudding Co. Homemade Plum Pudding

Sometimes traditional is best. Photo: Choice

Choice rating: 78 per cent

Price: $36 ($6 per 100 grams)

“Our judges praised The Traditional Plum Pudding Co. pudding in particular for its good flavour, colour and aroma,” Ms Engel said.

3. Newcastle’s Pudding Lady Traditional Christmas Pudding

The holidays is a good time for a little splurge. Photo: Choice

Choice rating: 74 per cent

Price: $31 ($6.20 per 100 grams) 

“The Newcastle Pudding Lady pudding was commended for its pleasant aroma, colour and texture,” Ms Engel said.

“Our judges said they would be happy to serve this pudding themselves.”

Puddings were re-heated in the microwave according to the directions on the pack, with Choice taste-testers also looking for good shape, weight, balanced fruit, spice and alcohol flavours, even distribution of good-quality fruit ingredients, and puddings that held their shape when cut.

The Choice Expert Rating is 90 per cent based on sensory attributes, and 10 per cent based on nutrition determined solely by the products’ Health Star Rating.