Christmas PLUM PUDDING

GRAND PLUM PUDDING

I have always enjoyed Plum Pudding, so I have gathered my favorite recipes and brought them to you.

"Plum pudding, or Christmas pudding, is a traditional English dessert having quite a long history.

"What's commonly regarded as a plum pudding today actually began as something completely different, way back in the 14th century. ... It became known as plum pudding when dried plums, or prunes, were added in along with eggs and bread crumbs to thicken it. Variations were made by substituting chicken OR veal .

Superb English Plum Pudding

This pudding is really best when made a year in advance and allowed to mellow. It was customary to make it early in Advent - the religious season before Christmas - and use it the following year. Everyone in the family was supposed to stir the pudding once for good luck.

If you can't make it the year before, at least give it a few weeks to age.

Servings: Each pudding serves 12.

Ingredients

Fruit Mixture (To be made 4 days ahead)

1 pound seedless raisins

1 pound sultana raisins

1/2 pound currants

1 cup thinly sliced citron

1 cup chopped candied peel

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mace

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound finely chopped suet - powdery fine

1 1/4 cups cognac

Pudding

1 1/4 pounds (approximately) fresh bread crumbs

1 cup scalded milk

1 cup sherry or port

12 eggs, well beaten

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Cognac

Preparation

Blend the fruits, citron, peel, spices and suet and place in a bowl or jar. Add 1/4 cup cognac, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 days, adding 1/4 cup cognac each day.

Soak the bread crumbs in milk and sherry or port. Combine the well-beaten eggs and sugar. Blend with the fruit mixture. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Put the pudding in buttered bowls or tins, filling them about 2/3 full. Cover with foil and tie it firmly. Steam for 6-7 hours. Uncover and place in a 250°F.oven for 30 minutes. Add a dash of cognac to each pudding, cover with foil and keep in a cool place.

To use, steam again for 2-3 hours and unmold. Sprinkle with sugar; add heated cognac. Ignite and bring to the table. Serve with hard sauce or cognac sauce.

Chocolate Plum Pudding

This is kind of a cross between a steamed pudding and a brownie, this rich-tasting dessert has only 1 tablespoon of added fat.

Servings: MAKES 16.

ngredients2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 2 1/2-ounce jars baby food prunes

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x9-inch baking pan. Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Stir prunes, sugar, eggs, chocolate, oil and vanilla to blend in large bowl. Mix in flour mixture. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until pudding is set and slightly puffed at edges, about 25 minutes. Immediately cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Cut into 16 squares and serve.

Children's Plum and Berry Puddings

These colorful treats are like chilled fruity bread puddings. Start making them at least one day and up to two days before serving.

Servings: Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients12 1/2-inch-thick egg bread slices

12 ounces red or purple plums (about 3 large), halved, pitted, each half cut into 6 slices

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2-pint baskets raspberries (about 2 2/3 cups)

1 1/2-pint basket blueberries (about 1 1/3 cups)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Sweetened whipped cream

Preparation Line: six 3/4-cup custard cups with plastic wrap, leaving 3-inch overhang on all sides.

Using 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 1 round from each bread slice; reserve.

Combine plums and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Simmer until plums are tender and translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all berries; simmer until berries release their juices, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

Arrange 2 cooked plum slices in bottom of each custard cup.

Top plums in each with 2 tablespoons fruit mixture with juices, then 1 bread round.

Top each with remaining fruit mixture with juices, dividing equally. Place 1 bread round atop each; press into fruit mixture to compact. Cover puddings tightly with plastic-wrap overhang. Place custard cups on baking sheet. Top cups with another baking sheet. Place several food cans on top baking sheet to weigh down. Chill overnight.

(Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.) .

Unfold plastic wrap from top of custard cups. Invert puddings onto plates. Remove plastic wrap. Spoon whipped cream alongside and serve.

Queen Plum Pudding and Sauce

After trying out many plum pudding recipes I finally found an unmatched prize.

8 servings

1 2lb mold 2½ hours 20 min prep

Change to: 2lb mold US Metric

Plum Pudding

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup currants

1/4 cup black raisins (Thompsons if available)

1/4 cup chopped nuts, of your choice (I use almonds)

grated orange rind

1 cup flour

Sauce

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 pinch salt

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons vinegar

double cream

Traditionally old silver English pennies or silver charms wrapped in grease-proof paper were placed in the batter and cooked into the pudding.

PLUM PUDDING: Mix ingredients in order given.

Spray inside of mould with lots of Pam thoroughly, or grease it well. Makes 3 cups of batter. Fill plum pudding mold 3/4 full because it will rise and push the cover open if you do not leave any space for rising batter.

Cover mould with cover.

Steam for 2 hours in large pot placing mold on a stand making sure it does not sit directly on the bottom of the pot. I make a ring out of tinfoil to sit the mold on.

Fill pot with water covering 3 inches from bottom of mold. Cover pot and place weight on lid. I use a rock to weigh cover down. Check water level after one hour. Add more water if the level is getting too low.

Turn over on a plate.

Can be frozen for later use.

Serve hot.

If cold heat in microwave.

Must be eaten hot.

SAUCE:

Boil Sauce ingredients except butter till thick.

When thick add chunk of butter.

SERVE: Slice heated Plum Pudding.

On each slice pour some sauce and drizzle cream over it.

Serve.

Hope you enjoy.