Moms Christmas Plum Pudding Recipes

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.

MOM'S CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease a 12-cup steamed pudding mold and its lid.
• Stir together plums, crushed gingersnaps, flour, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the pudding. Pour into the prepared pudding mold and cover with the lid. Place the mold on a rack in a deep, 8-quart pot. Add boiling water to halfway up the side of the mold, making sure water does not touch the lid.
• Cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours 45 minutes, adding more boiling water, if necessary. Remove the pudding mold from the pot and cool on a wire rack until pudding pulls away from the side of the mold, about 30 minutes.
• While pudding is cooling, combine sugar, half-and-half, butter, brandy, and corn syrup in a small, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts, and sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Invert pudding onto a platter and serve immediately alongside warm brandy sauce.

NANA'S TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS STEAMED PLUM PUDDING WITH HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the molasses, butter, milk, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Next, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions. Toss candied fruit and raisins lightly with flour to prevent sinking and add to batter. Stir in brandy.
• Pour into a greased and sugared steam pudding mold and place on a rack in a large covered pot with water that comes halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover and steam for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water hasn't boiled out. Let cool for 5 minutes on a rack before turning out. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a sprig of holly and Hard Sauce.
• Beat all ingredients together until very well combined. Serve with pudding.