Conference turris::cooks

    Note 3451 is for Figgy pudding.  That's the stuff referred to in "We
    wish you a Merry Christmas".  Also note 1237 is about Suet pie, which
    is also a steamed pudding.

         <<< Note 3890.1 by RANGER::PESENTI "And the winner is...." >>>

    Note 3451 is for Figgy pudding.  That's the stuff referred to in "We
    wish you a Merry Christmas".  Also note 1237 is about Suet pie, which
    is also a steamed pudding.

Hi,

  Thanks for the reply.  That is still not what I am looking for in the pudding.

Cindy

 >>Thanks for the reply.  That is still not what I am looking for in the pudding.

	Perhaps a little specificity would help then.

        <<< Note 3890.3 by PENUTS::DDESMAISONS "press on regardless" >>>


 >>Thanks for the reply.  That is still not what I am looking for in the pudding.

	Perhaps a little specificity would help then.

Sorry, 

A pudding with fruit and nuts in it.  After it is done you pour some brandy     
over it.

Cindy

    Note 3451 is indeed the correct note--what you're looking for is a
    variation of a figgy pudding, also called a plum pudding.  Although the
    recipe in 3451 might not be exactly what you're looking for, that
    note was the correct place to post your request asking for additional
    recipes.
    
    Any further discussion (or recipes for plum or figgy pudding) should
    continue in note 3451.  The title of 3451 should probably be  modified
    to PLUM\FIGGY\CHRISTMAS PUDDING before yet another new note gets
    started, this time asking for plum pudding.

Oh, dear. Two nations divided by the same language. I know exactly what the
initial note means, and it's not the same as Figgy/Plum pud, though closely
related. 

I don't have time to type out my favourite recipe now, and it's really too late
to make one for this year anyway. You can probably buy one in Macy's food hall,
or the equivalent in your city, and quite likely in your local supermarket,
though it might taste fairly disgusting.

For the record, Christmas pud (as opposed to Plum/Figgy pud) has mostly
grape-type dried fruits, very little starch (usually breadcrumbs), quite a lot
of fat (butter/suet, eggs), and a lot of booze. It's very dark and needs a total
of 6-10 hours steaming depending on size. Some also add pig's trotter for
quaintness, though I wouldn't.

The recipe in 3451.7 is a Christmas pud, and I agree that Christmas puds belong
with that note. (Sorry, I didn't check, just assumed that the author of this
note had read that one and hadn't found a Christmas pud there.)

But there are many more types of steamed puddings, and Christmas puddings (as
opposed to Plum/figgy puds) are a topic in themselves for some English cooks.
Leave it as it as, or make this a separate Christmas pud note. If you do that,
I'll type out my recipe....

Merry stuffing

Helen 

I now realise the xmas pud recipe in 3415 was added in response to this
note...apologies, I'm still new at this, and typing furiously in my lunch break.

H

    well, it looks like retitling was all that it needed.  Please send me
    mail if you disagree, or continue discussion of possible reorganization
    in note #10.
    
    thanks,
    ed

    As note 3451 is set nowrite, I'll enter this here. Printed from the
    British Cookery book; expect for the bits between ().
    
    The most famous of all suet pudding - Christmas Pudding - also has the
    longest recorded history. It has undergone numberous changes since it
    first appeared as a traditional dish on Christmas Eve in the form of a
    frumenty of hulled wheat and milk. By early medieval days, the
    Christmas frumenty, now made of with beef or mutton broth, thickened
    with oatmeal and flavoured with eggs, currants, dried plums, mace
    ginger, had become the plum porridge. The Elizadethans made few
    changes, except for substituting oatmeal with breadcrumbs and adding
    suet and ale or wine; plum porridge was still semi-liquid, but by 1675
    the meat broth disappeared, plum porridge changed to plum pudding and
    as such was boiled in a cloth.
      Since then, the plum pudding has remained virtually unchanged, its
    present name being adopted in the 19th century when dried plums were
    replaced by raisins, currants, sultanas and candied peel. The Christmas
    pudding reached its fullest glory in the Victorian era when huge
    puddings were the order of the day; they were round as cannon balls and
    boiled in cloths; the present pudding basin shape did not become
    popular until well into the 20th century.  (Apologise for no metric
    weights or measures)
    
    1 lb white breadcrumbs
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1 teaspoon mixed spice
    2 teaspoons salt
    1/2 lb shredded or cinely chopped suet
    1/2 lb brown sugar
    4 oz chopped mixed peel
    4 oz currants
    4 oz sultanas
    1 lb seedles raisins
    3 oz grated carrot
    3 tablespoons brandy
    2 tablespoons milk
    4 oz golden syrup
    
    Mic the breadcrumbs, spices, salt, suet, sugar, mixed peel, fruits and
    carrots together in a large bowl. Blend the brandy, milk and syrup and
    stir thoroughly into the dry ingredients; let the mixture stand for at
    least 1 hour. Spoon into 1 1/2 - 2 pt greased pudding basins, cover
    with greaseproof paper and cloth or foil and steam.
    
       Christmas puddings may be steamed in various sized basins; for 1 pt
    puddings allow 5 hours; for 1 1/2 pt puddings 7 hours and for 2 pt
    puddings 9 hours. When cooked, remove from the steamer and allow to
    coo. Cover with fresh paper and store in a cool place; they will keep
    for 12-18 months and improve and mature during this time. On the day of
    serving, renew the covering and steam the pudding as follows.
       1 pt puddings for 2 hours, 1 1/2 pt and 2 pt puddings for 3 hours.
    Turn out on to a hot dish, decorate with holly and flame with warmed
    brandy; serve with brandy or rum butter or a sweet white sauce
    flavoured with rum.
    
    Angus
    NB The advent of the microwave oven considerably simplifies the cooking
    time. Nuke the thing in minutes rather than steam for hours and I'm
    told the results are just as good.

    .12> NB The advent of the microwave oven considerably simplifies the cooking
    .12> time. Nuke the thing in minutes rather than steam for hours and I'm
    .12> told the results are just as good.
    
    No, sorry but they most certainly ain't ! The Christmas pud, which when
    well made is a jewel of puddings, is also a boon to us culinary
    luddites. It firmly rejects any attempts to short-cut the entirely
    necessary length of cooking. It just DEMANDS to be steamed for hours.
    
    Cooked properly (i.e. slowly and lovingly) and the result is moist,
    soft, light (yes light !), and massively complex of flavour. Microwave
    it and you get exactly what you deserve - a lumpen heavy under-flavoured 
    lump of stodge.
    
    I've got a recipe at home that we use every year for our Christmas pud
    - I'll try to remember to post it.
    
    Jim
    

    
    	I put a recipe in note 3451.9 which I consider light and more
    delicate than ones I have had over the years.  However, I would not
    recommend microwave reheating.  I use a pressure cooker which cuts down
    the time significantly but keeps the pudding moist.  A 6 hour initial
    cooking time (steaming) can be cut down to around 1.5 to 2 hrs total 
    if I remember correctly and reheating can be less than an hour.
    
    	Besides if you can't smell the pudding cooking for all that time it
    can't be Christmas!
    
    	Colin..
    

 

While a home cooked pub is not the same unless steamed , it can be cooked
way ahead ( and I believe if better for it ). Nuked at on the day is ok. The
bought ones ( gasp ) are fully cooked and can well be nuked.

Dont  forget its flamed with run and served with rum sauce (corn start used to
thicked milk to custard and LOTS of run added) 

As for light how do you get a couple of pound of dried fruit Suet and bread to
be light, now I love the stuff but its not light in either calories or density.
Maybe you use the Souffle pudding recepie ;-)

    Recipe for (non-nuked) Christmas pud:
    
    (Makes 2 puddings, each serving about 8 - adjust quantities as required)
    
    100g/4oz soft breadcrumbs
    50g/2oz flour
    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
    1/2 tsp ground allspice
    100g/4oz butter, melted
    100g/4oz moist brown sugar
    75g/3oz cooking apple, grated
    50g/2oz carrot, grated
    175g/6oz currants
    175g/6oz sultanas
    300g/11oz raisins, seeded, and chopped if large
    75g/3oz dried apricots, finely chopped
    50g/2oz dried prunes (weight when stoned), finely chopped
    100g/4oz mixed crystallised peel, finely chopped
    75g/3oz glac� cherries, quartered
    100g/4oz almonds, blanched and finely chopped
    1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
    1 tsp finely grated orange zest
    1 level tbsp black treacle
    1/2 tbsp lemon juice
    1/2 tbsp orange juice
    1 tbsp brandy
    2 large eggs
    about 150ml/1/4pint ale or stout
    
    Method:
    1. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir thoroughly to blend.
    2. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to stand overnight, then stir
    again.
    3. Grease 2 1.5litre/2.5pint basins. Spoon in the mixture. If you like
    pudding that slices easily, press the ingredients together firmly. For
    a lighter, crumblier pudding, pack the mixture less tightly. Leave a
    space of at least 2.5cm/1in. at the top of the basins.
    4. Cover the puddings with greaseproof paper, which has been greased on
    both sides, then with foil. Put a central pleat in both paper and foil
    to avoid splitting the coverings during cooking. Secure with string.
    5. Steam the puddings in a large steamer for at least 5-6 hours.
    6. When the puddings are cooked remove the damp covers at once. Allow
    to become quite cold then cover the basins woth fresh greaseproof paper
    and foil.
    7. Store in a cool, dry place.
    8. On Christmas Day steam the puddings for a further 2-3 hours.