I reported that the traditional Christmas pudding has fallen out of favor for lighter desserts and I do understand why. But, no one resist Christmas Pudding and No Christmas is complete without a Christmas Pudding it is popular as ever.
And you must try this.
For until you do, you will probably think all that dried fruit is, well dry, and the pudding heavy. Yet this is far from the case: the fruit is moist and sticky and the pudding mystifyingly, meltingly light. And I don't deny it: there is something unattractively boastful about calling one's own recipe "ultimate". But having soaked my dried fruit for this pudding Brandy, I know there is no turning back - I believe the extravagance is sensationalist has to be tried,to be savoured.
Christmas pudding is best made well in advance to allow it to mature which traditionally is made on "Stir it up Sunday" the Sunday before Advent around the end of November - however, it is still not to late.
Don't be put off by the of ingredient in this recipe, although it may seem daunting, just assembly all your ingredients in advance and the rest is easy. All that is left then is to make a wish.
Friends please do try this Tried and Tested Christmas Pudding at home. Also please do share your feedback about the recipe in the comment below.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb (450g) mixed dried fruit
- 2 oz (50g) candied peel (mixed varieties, finelychopped)
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup brandy (plus a little extra for soaking at the end)
- 2 oz (50g) flour (self raising, sifted)
- 2 tsp mixed spice (level,ground)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (ground)
- 4 oz (110g) butter
- 4 oz (110g) brown sugar
- 4 oz (110g) fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 oz (50g) almond (whole, shelled, roughly chopped)
- large eggs (fresh)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Lightly butter a 2 1/2 cups pint pudding basin.
- Place the dried fruits, candied peel, orange and lemon juice into large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate for a couple of hours, preferably overnight
- Stir the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon together in a very large mixing bowl. Add the butter, sugar, lemon and orange zest, breadcrumbs, nuts and stir again until all the ingredients are well mixed. Finally add the marinate dried fruits and stir again.
- Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl then stir quickly into the dry ingredients. The mixture should have a fairly soft consistency.
- Now is the time to gather the family for Christmas pudding tradition of taking turns in stirring making a wish and adding a few charms a coin, a ring, a thimble and a button.
- Spoon the mixture into the greased pudding basin, gently pressing the mixture down with a back of a spoon. Covet with a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, then a layer of aluminium foil and tie securely with string wrapping the string around the basin, then loop over the top and then around the bowl again. This will form a handle which will be useful when removing the pudding from the steamer.
- Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently, so it never boils dry. The pudding should be a dark brown colour when cooked.
- Note: the pudding is not a light cake but instead is a dark, sticky and dense sponge.
- Remove the pudding from the steamer, cool completely. Remove the paper prick the pudding with a skewer and pour in a little extra be Andy.
- Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and re-tie with string. Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas day
NOTE:
- I substitute the almonds with 100g roughly chopped cashew nuts soaked in 4 tbsp almond essence.
- The charms signify that the person who gets- coin will be wealthy, the ring- first in the company to get married, the thimble- will be an old maid and the recipient of the button- will be a bachelor.
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Cheers and happy eating!!!
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