General Chat

Nudge because there are some who are still debating whether to cook or not!!!

Oooooooooooooooooh myyyyyyy

Thank you thanks to both of you

Both these recipes sound incredible.... why is it that Australians have the best Christmas puds.....

Shopping tomorrow - am going to cook both.......will let you know - will have one for Christmas and the other for New Year

In my family we had almost the same celebration dinner for New Year as we had for Christmas.

<<<<<How to Boil Your Christmas Pudding

Make up the pudding mixture as recipe directs, then prepare the pudding cloth. Use a 75 cm (30 in) square of unbleached calico. Drop it into a large pan of boiling water; boil 30 minutes. Remove from water wring out well (protect hands from hot cloth with rubber gloves). Spread out cloth on table and cover with plain flour (about half a cup). Bring flour to within 10 cm (4 in) of edges of cloth. The cloth can be left unfloured but flouring gives the pudding a better skin. Put mixture into centre of cloth; it should be round in shape, moulded into a slight peak at the top.

Gather corners and sides of cloth round pudding mixture as evenly as possible. Pull corners tightly and firmly to give pudding a good round shape. Make sure that all edges of the pudding cloth are pulled up in hands so that no water can get into the pudding during boiling.

Tie firmly with string about 2.5 cm (1 in) above top of pudding; this allows room for expansion during cooking. Twist string around cloth about 10 times to give good, firm seal. Make a handle from string ends to lift out pudding easily when cooked.

Put pudding into large boiler three-quarters full of boiling water; there must be enough rapidly boiling water t float pudding. Put lid on immediately; boil rapidly for time stated in recipe. Replenish with more boiling water, as necessary, about every 20 minutes. Water must never go off the boil.

At the end of cooking time, life pudding from water, suspend from handle of cupboard door or legs of an upturned stool. Pudding must be able to swing freely without touching anything. Tie ends of wet cloth together so they do not touch the pudding. Let hang overnight or until cloth around pudding dries completely. Untie ends of cloth so they will also dry.

(OK no laughing this is serious) In hot Christmas weather it is better to store the pudding in the refrigerator.

<<<<<Serving.

On day of serving, re-boil as recipe directs, usually about 2 hours.

After pudding is cooked, remove it from the water, let stand about five minutes or until cloth is dry. Cut string and carefully and gently pull cloth from pudding. It may be necessary to ease pudding from cloth at top with a knife, then gently pull off remainder of cloth.

If you want to flame the pudding when serving, warm ¼ cup brandy, pour it over pudding at the table, set aflame.

<<<<<Notes:

This note is repeated because it is important. The water should be boiling when you put the pudding into the pot. Do not under any circumstances allow the water to go off the boil.

These instructions are suitable for cooking any mixture than can be boiled in a cloth. If you prefer to steam it in a basin make certain the lid fits securely and you grease the basin.

I do not boil the new cloth for 30 minutes before using it. Don’t have the patience. Probably leave it boiling for about 15 or 20 minutes in a large saucepan.

When tying the string around the gathered cloth at the top of the pudding, give it a few more turns, just in case. (It looks like you are holding the neck of a blown up balloon.)

I use a large stockpot for the cooking

Make two separate handles just in case one breaks. Tie an extra bit of string around the top of the pudding. Use the handle of a feather duster, a broom handle or thick wooden spoon to lift out pudding. Thread the loops of the string handles over the object. Be careful, don’t drop it back into the pot or onto the floor.

When the pudding is in the pot leave one of the string handles hanging outside of the pot with the lid on it.

Never, ever let the pudding go off the boil. The water must be rolling at all times.

Every 20 minutes for the adding boiling water is a bit soon. Generally it works out to about 30 minutes. Boil jug, lift up lid on boiler pour in about a cup or two of boiling water and replace lid.

I leave my pudding hanging until Christmas Day. Have never put it in the fridge no matter what the weather. Leftovers keep for months, if you are lucky to have any.


I have been wondering for years why I need to reboil the pudding for 2 hours on Christmas Day. This year I am going to dunk the pudding in boiling water so the cloth comes off easily. Then cut slices and heat them in the microwave. Pudding boiling on Christmas Day is a pain in the proverbial.


Have never done the flame bit, for two reasons. First why would I wish to set fire to a pudding I have spent almost six hours cooking and secondly it is a waste of good brandy.

<<<<<<Christmas Pudding - Method


Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add orange and lemon rinds.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each additon.

Chop dates, raisins and peel; peel and grate apple and carrot. Stir fruit, peel, carrot, apple and breadcrumbs into creamed mixture. Sift dry ingredients; fold in; add brandy.

<<<<<<<Notes:

Use scissors to cut dates and raisins, dipping blades into water if they become sticky. Fruit pieces should all be the size of sultanas. (Yeah and I really take a ruler to each piece and measure it!!! – not!!)

I prepare all the fruit ingredients in one bowl, the creamed mixture in another and the dry ingredients in another.

Yes it is a messy cook’s kitchen. Make sure you use a very large bowl to combine all the ingredients.

<<<<<<Cooking:

To steam: Fill into well-greased 2.5 litre 4½ pint pudding basin; steam 4 hours. Re-steam 2 hours on day of serving.

To boil: Boil rapidly for four hours. Instructions on boiling pudding in a cloth are next. Read them very carefully.

Re-boil 2 hours on day of serving.

OK Here we go. First a warning. This is a recipe for traditionalists. It is not one you can whip up in half and hour and zap in the microwave. Well you might be able to; I have never tried. It is a lot of work and I make a lot of mess preparing it. I end up with mixture all over my face from licking out the bowl and dirty dishes from one end of the kitchen to the other. It is not something you can start when you arrive home after a busy day at work. Ready!!??

There are three sections to the recipe. Each section has notes which follow. Please read the notes first because they will make the task easier. As I said I have been cooking this pudding for over 20 years. I always marvel at how it always cooks as a pudding and never soggs away.


<<<<<<<<CHRISTMAS PUDDING

<<<<<<Ingredients

250g (8oz) butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
4 eggs
250 g (8 oz) dates
250g (8 oz) raisins
250 g (8 oz) sultanas
1 small apple
1 small carrot
125 g (4 oz) mixed peel
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1½ cups plain flour
pinch salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon mixed spice
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 tablespoons brandy.

<<<<<<Notes on Ingredients

You may vary the dried fruit mixture, sometimes I use currants and less mixed peel. Just make sure the total weight of fruit is the same as the recipe.

Cut the crusts off the bread and stick one slice at a time in the vitamiser. Makes lovely breadcrumbs You will need about ten or so slices for your two cups. And don’t use the packet dried breadcrumbs.

I use large eggs.

You can prepare the fuit mix the night before and leave it soak in the brandy. Although the experts say that the fruit should be dry when adding it to the mixture, or the pudding will be “heavy”. I’ve assembled the ingredients both ways without a problem.

I am a bit more generous with the brandy, ohh about a tablespoon more.

I thought the same. ;)

I have my grandma's recipe and pudding basin ... but I've never actually tried it.

My mum's xmas cake now, that's to die for. Actually, it was her sister-in-law's. It's "light", none of the gritty currenty stuff, loads of candied cherries and pineapple ... mmm, it's almost time!

Hmmm, Christmas pudding with chocolate, now that sounds good.

Thanks of that Janey, you're a star!

Everybody beat me to it, I was gonna offer my grandma's recipe.


TeresaW, I googled -- try here:

http://bronchitikat.livejournal.com/303534.html

It says it's the Prima recipe from 1997 - ?

Years ago, I got a recipe from Prima for a Christmas pudding, with Guiness, and believe me, it was absolutely yummy...but sadly I lost the recipe after a couple of years. I really wish I'd put it somewhere safer.

So if anyone has a copy of the recipe from Prima way back in the late 80s, lemme know lol

(somehow I think finding that is marginally less likely than finding a Mrs Peeks pudding lol)

OK Will type it up this afternoon my time and post it later this evening.

And don't forget it is an Aussie pudding so you need to make it standing on your head!!

I don't eat it (yuk), but a friend was telling me that her husband was having a go at making Delia Smiths one today. I will get the results on Monday :)

Suzy

Thank you....would really be grateful for your recipe

Merry Christmas

I can send you the best Christmas Pudding recipe ever. Cook it yourself. Makes a very large pudding. Boil it in a cloth or make it in a pudding basin. Still time to do it for this Christmas. Mine is finished and hanging up. Will take a while for me to type out the instructions. Takes about two hours to prepare and four hours to boil. Need to be dedicated but it is worth the trouble. I've been making this one for over twenty years and never had a failure.

Last year we had a wheat-free one from T*scos - son is wheat free. And it was lovely. No complaints from anyone - but then I didn't tell them it was wheat free!

Jill

Given up the search.....bought a bog standard pudding from Tesco today.....2.00.....can't stand the 'luxury' ones - all big lumps of fruit and nuts - have decided to make my own for next year.

They are good pudding - a little bit bitter offset by the sweetness of the sauce....have tried other 'luxury puds' .....NEED A MRS PEEKS.....

Yes that was silly.....as my grand daughter would say....SILLY BILLY.... I need two puddings.....and if someone could buy me two puddings I will pay them plus postage

Not being funny, but it's usually the discount shops that have Mrs Peeks.

They are the best though aren't they.

If you find them, buy next year's too, the keep really well, as they are so rich, they don't go off.

Careful Crispen - you could end up with 150 or so at that rate!!

LOL

Would anyone buy me two..........if they can find them......I will pay in advance and for postage.....money up front before they are sent ?????