I didn't make Christmas puddings last year ~ the thought of trying to steam them on the two-ring hob we were using filled me with horror!
This year, though, we have our lovely new cooker and for the first time Beverly helped me make the puddings 😊
What do you think are the chances of her taking over pudding making duties every year.....
somewhat slim, methinks, judging by the look on her face 😉
Here's the Larkin family recipe, if you'd like to make your own too:
12 oz/340g sultanas
12 oz/340g raisins
6 oz/170g glace cherries, halved or quartered
8 oz/227g finely chopped mixed candied peel
8 oz/227g plain flour
1 level teaspoon ground ginger
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
1 level teaspoon nutmeg ~ freshly grated if possible
1 lb/454g soft brown sugar
8 oz/227g breadcrumbs
10 oz/284g shredded suet ~ beef or vegetable, whichever you prefer
6 eggs
5 fl oz/142ml barley wine or stout
5 fl/142ml oz brandy
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
1/2 pint/284ml milk (approximately)
Grease whatever size of pudding basins you would like your finished Christmas puddings to be ~ this recipe will make enough to generously fill four 1 pint (5ooml) pudding basins, each one of which will give about six servings. I usually use three 1 pint basins and one 1 1/2 pint (900ml).
Sift the flour and spices into a very large mixing bowl, stir in the sugar, breadcrumbs and suet, then add the dried fruit and grated orange rind.
Beat the eggs and add to them the barley wine/stout, brandy and orange juice. Stir this into the dry ingredients and mix well, adding enough milk to give the mixture a soft dropping consistency if necessary.
Put the mixture into your well greased pudding basins. Cover each one with a doubled-up sheet of lightly greased greaseproof paper, making a pleat in the centre to allow for expansion whilst the pudding is steaming. Hold the paper in place with string or an elastic band. I also use a pudding basin net to make life easier when lifting the basins in and out of the steamer, but if you haven't got one simply use string to make a handle.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and place the pudding, in a steamer, on top; turn the water down to a low simmer. The puddings will take 6-7 hours to steam, depending on the size of basin you use. I steamed the one pint puddings for 6 hours each, and the larger pudding for 7 hours. I usually set my timer for one-hour-at-a-time so that I remember to watch the level of water in the pan, and keep it topped it up as necessary with boiling water from the kettle.
This year, though, we have our lovely new cooker and for the first time Beverly helped me make the puddings 😊
What do you think are the chances of her taking over pudding making duties every year.....
somewhat slim, methinks, judging by the look on her face 😉
Here's the Larkin family recipe, if you'd like to make your own too:
12 oz/340g sultanas
12 oz/340g raisins
6 oz/170g glace cherries, halved or quartered
8 oz/227g finely chopped mixed candied peel
8 oz/227g plain flour
1 level teaspoon ground ginger
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
1 level teaspoon nutmeg ~ freshly grated if possible
1 lb/454g soft brown sugar
8 oz/227g breadcrumbs
10 oz/284g shredded suet ~ beef or vegetable, whichever you prefer
6 eggs
5 fl oz/142ml barley wine or stout
5 fl/142ml oz brandy
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
1/2 pint/284ml milk (approximately)
Grease whatever size of pudding basins you would like your finished Christmas puddings to be ~ this recipe will make enough to generously fill four 1 pint (5ooml) pudding basins, each one of which will give about six servings. I usually use three 1 pint basins and one 1 1/2 pint (900ml).
Sift the flour and spices into a very large mixing bowl, stir in the sugar, breadcrumbs and suet, then add the dried fruit and grated orange rind.
Beat the eggs and add to them the barley wine/stout, brandy and orange juice. Stir this into the dry ingredients and mix well, adding enough milk to give the mixture a soft dropping consistency if necessary.
Put the mixture into your well greased pudding basins. Cover each one with a doubled-up sheet of lightly greased greaseproof paper, making a pleat in the centre to allow for expansion whilst the pudding is steaming. Hold the paper in place with string or an elastic band. I also use a pudding basin net to make life easier when lifting the basins in and out of the steamer, but if you haven't got one simply use string to make a handle.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and place the pudding, in a steamer, on top; turn the water down to a low simmer. The puddings will take 6-7 hours to steam, depending on the size of basin you use. I steamed the one pint puddings for 6 hours each, and the larger pudding for 7 hours. I usually set my timer for one-hour-at-a-time so that I remember to watch the level of water in the pan, and keep it topped it up as necessary with boiling water from the kettle.
This old saucepan belonged to my Grandma and I only ever use it for steaming puddings ~ each time I use it, though, I am reminded of her 😊 I've had the steamer forever; it's a wee bit battered these days as it's been dropped on the quarry tiled kitchen floor of our old house a number of times over the years!
At the end of the steaming period, take the pudding from the steamer and remove the greaseproof paper. Cover with a clean tea-towel and leave on one side to cool. When the pudding is totally cold, remove it from the basin and wrap in a fresh double sheet of greaseproof paper and then wrap tightly in cooking foil. Store the puddings in a cool, dry place.
I try to make my puddings towards the end of October/beginning of November and it's a family tradition to save one to have one at Easter. They should keep well, what with all that sugar and alcohol in them!
When it's time to eat your yummy Christmas pudding, you can either gently steam it for about 1 1/2 hours or reheat in the microwave. I can't really tell you how long to heat the pudding in the microwave; it's very much a trial-and-error process as each machine seems to heat differently! I just tend to heat ours on full in 3-4 minute bursts until it is good and hot all the way through.
Serve your pudding with whatever your family likes best: rum or brandy butter/sauce, custard, cream, ice cream, etc. My husband likes to have cream with his but I prefer a brandy sauce which I make very simply like custard ~ just substitute cornflour for the custard powder and add brandy to taste!
I really hope you enjoy this recipe. You can tweak away as you wish on the proportions and varieties of dried fruit, just keep the total amount about the same. You could have a little less fruit and add nuts. You could also use rum instead of brandy ~ I use brandy as I'm not that keen on rum. Make the recipe your own by using the fruit (and nuts, if you wish) that you and your family like to eat 😊
Sounds delicious 😋
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