Christmas Pudding
A Traditional English Recipe
Recipes for Traditional English Christmas Pudding vary, however, mine is fairly simple to prepare for a fine Christmas treat! It'll probably make a a couple of large or a few smaller puddings for you and your family or guests to enjoy, depending on the determined size of your bowls or ramekins.
Traditionally, Christmas Pudding is traditionally prepared on what's known as "Stir-up Sunday," the last Sunday before Advent. The puddings are allowed to mature until served on Christmas. In years gone by, although STILL a tradition, a sixpence would be placed within the pudding. The coin was believed to bring wealth in the up coming year. Read more about the pudding's tradition, as well as the inclusion of a Sixpence, for luck! CLICK HERE!
INGREDIENTS:
3-4 cups bread crumbs
1/2 pound suet, chopped finely
1 cup raisins (through in some extra golden raisins, as well)
1 cup currants
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 carrot, grated
1/2 baking apple, grated
1/2 baking potato, grated (optional)
rind of 1 lemon, grated/microplaned
juice of 1-2 FRESH oranges (depending on size)
1 cup. brown sugar
1/2 cup. flour (varies)
1 teaspoon. allspice
a dash of fresh nutmeg, microplaned
4 eggs
1 can of Guinness or dark beer
1/2 brandy glass of (obviously) Brandy
PREPARATION:
Chop up the suet finely and mix with flour. In a rather large bowl, mix, fruits, nuts, crumbs, sugar, spice and suet mixture.. Beat your egs, stirring them into the remaining ingredients. Be sure to add in the brandy or dark beer (if the final mixture is a tad still, just add more). The pudding mixture should drop fairly easily from a spoon.
Fill greased pudding bowls or ramekins with the pudding, leaving room for it to rise. Cover the of each bowl or ramekin with greased waxed paper, as well as a layer of aluminim foil. Tie this off with a string.
You're going to want to place these in a water bath (that's a large pan with water halfway up bowl). Cover the pan and bring it to a light boil about 15 to 20 minutes; reduce your heat to heat to low and cook for about 5 hours. Keep an eye on this, as you don't wanit it to boil dry.
When your puddings are brought out, pour a little brandy over them and store in refrigerator until Christmas. Its not over, yet! There's more!
TO FINISH COOKING:
On Christmas Day, steam your puddings in a double steamer for another few hours to heat it up.. Turn them it out on to plates and flame with more Brandy. English Christmas Pudding is traditionally served with Brandy Butter, as well.: .
INGREDIENTS:
6 ounces unsalted butter
6 ounces dark brown sugar
6 (or so) tablespoons of Brandy
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PREPARATION:
Beat the butter and sugar together. It will become softer and creamier. Gradually add your Brandy, making sure you add it SLOWLY, as you beat the mixture, to prevent the butter from curdling. Put your butter mixture into a covered container and chill for at least an hour prior to serving. Since it will keep for up to a week or so in yoiur refrigerator, it can be made ahead of Christmas Day, to go along with your Traditional English Christmas Pudding..
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