British Plum Pudding Recipes

SUPERB ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• 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.

CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, bread crumbs, suet, eggs, carrot, apple, brown sugar, chopped blanched almonds, stem ginger, ground almonds, cherries, raisins, currants, golden raisins, mixed peel, plums, lemon juice and zest, mixed spice, baking powder and ale. Let each family member take a turn stirring and make a wish. If you have used more dry fruit than fresh, add a little extra ale to make the mixture less stiff.
• Grease 2 large or 4 small pudding basins. Fill with pudding mixture about 7/8 full. Cover tightly with greased waxed paper, then foil; secure with string. Stand pudding on a trivet in a large pot of boiling water that reaches halfway up the sides of the pudding basin. Steam puddings over medium-low heat in boiling water 10 hours for large puddings, 5 hours for small puddings, topping off water regularly until quite firm and set.
• If not serving immediately, let cool completely, then replace covers with fresh waxed paper and foil and store in a cool, dry place, basting from time to time with rum or brandy, for up to 3 months. To serve, reheat by steaming 2 to 3 hours.

ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Sift first five ingredients together; stir in fruit.
• Soak crumbs in milk for ten minutes.
• Beat eggs and sugar together until lemon-colored; add suet and soaked crumbs and stir into flour-fruit mixture.
• Add brandy and mix well.
• Pour into greased molds, cover tightly and steam 3 to 4 hours (depending on the size of molds used) OR tie in a large piece of heavy muslin, heavily buttered and floured, allowing plenty of space for expansion.
• Place in a large kettle of boiling water with rack in bottom to hold pudding off the bottom.
• Boil 3 to 4 hours, replacing water as necessary.

TINY TIM'S PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease an 8-cup pudding mold, metal gelatin mold or ovenproof bowl; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in plums, dates, raisins, carrots and currants., Transfer to prepared pudding mold. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil; tie foil with kitchen string to secure., Place on a rack in a stockpot; add 3 in. hot water to pot. Bring water to a gentle boil; steam cake, covered, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Remove pudding from pot; let stand 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat hard sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; serve warm with sauce.

BRITISH PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
• Butter two 20 x 10-cm (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans. Line with parchment paper, letting it hang over 2 opposites sides.
• In a bowl, combine the suet, breadcrumbs, raisins, candied fruit and candied peel. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to blend.
• Divide the batter between the pans. Cover and seal tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in a water bath for 7 hours. The simmering water bath must be maintained halfway up the loaf pans. Add water if necessary during baking.
• Remove the puddings from the water and let cool. Unmould from the pans and wrap tightly. They can be stored for up to 3 months in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
• In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour and butter. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer gently over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Tips: Freezes well.