Rich Christmas Fruit Pudding Recipes

HISTORICAL RECIPE: CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Cream butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add in raisins, carrot, potato and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda.
• Grease 2 small glass bowls or one large bowl. Fill with pudding. Leave about an inch between the top of the pudding and the top of the bowl to give it room to rise.
• Cover the bowl with a piece of parchment, followed by a piece of tin foil, secured with string. My grandmother used a clean piece of muslin instead of the parchment.
• The pudding can be steamed in a double boiler, or you can place the pudding in a large pot, placing the pudding bowl on a small ramekin or mason jar ring to keep it off the bottom of the pot. Pour water in the bottom to no more than 1/3 of the way up the sides of the bowl.
• Steam the pudding for 2 - 3 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean. My small puddings are usually done at 2 hours, with a large pudding taking the full three. Add additional hot water to your pot as necessary to keep your pot from boiling dry.
• Turn the pudding out onto a plate and serve hot with brown sugar sauce.
• Brown Sugar Sauce Instructions
• Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in brown sugar and continue to stir constantly until boiling. Boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in milk and vanilla. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the mixture once again comes to the boil. Thin with more milk or cream if necessary. Serve warm.

RICH CHRISTMAS FRUIT PUDDING

Steps:

• Chop fruit medley, raisins, figs and cherries. Combine in a large bowl with sultanas and currants, pour over brandy and mix well. Cover and stand overnight.
• Grease an 8 cup (2 litre) pudding basin and line the base with a small circle of baking paper.
• Beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (use electric mixer). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in marmalade.
• Sift flour, spices and bicarb soda together. Fold into butter mixture with breadcrumbs, soaked fruit, nuts and choc bits.
• Spoon mixture into prepared pudding basin and smooth the top. Cover basin with baking paper and secure tightly with string. Cover with foil or basin lid. (If using foil, tie more string under the rim to secure, and then make a string handle over the top to make removal from pan easier).
• Place pudding basin on a trivet or upturned saucer in a large saucepan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the basin. Cover pan and simmer for 4 hours - add more boiling water as necessary to maintain the water level.
• Remove basin from pan and cool. Cover and refrigerate pudding in the basin.
• Reheat (using same method as Step 6) for 2 hours. Turn onto a serving plate. Gently warm 1/4 cup brandy in a small saucepan. Using a long match, ignite brandy and CAREFULLY pour over the pudding.
• Alternatively, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave - a bonus if it's stinking hot or space on your stove-top is at a premium!