Sehr gern, ich muss nur tatsächlich Montag machen, der zieht ja mehrere Wochen durch. Traditionelles Datum zum Ansetzen sei wohl Totensonntag... Naja, knapp drei Wochen durchziehen sollte hoffentlich auch gehen.
Zwei Rezepte meiner damals fast Schwiegermutter
INGREDIENTS
110g shredded suet
25g whole candied peel, finely chopped
25g whole almonds chopped (skin on is ok)
1 small cooking apple cored and finely chopped (no need to peel)
grated zest ½ large navel orange
grated zest ½ large lemon
2 tablespoons rum
75ml barley wine
75ml stout
2 large eggs
50g self-raising flour, sifted
110g white breadcrumbs
1 level teaspoon ground mixed spice
¼ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
good pinch ground cinnamon
225g soft dark brown sugar
110g sultanas
110g raisins
275g currants
EQUIPMENT
You will also need a 2 pint (1.2 litre) pudding basin, lightly greased, baking parchment, foil and string, and a traditional or fan-type steamer
METHOD
Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding.
Take your largest, roomiest mixing bowl and start by putting in the suet and breadcrumbs, spices and sugar. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly together, then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, peel and nuts followed by the apple and the grated orange and lemon zests. Don’t forget to tick everything off as you go to make sure nothing gets left out.
Next in a smaller basin, measure out the rum, barley wine and stout, then add the eggs and beat these thoroughly together. Next pour this over all the other ingredients and begin to mix very thoroughly. It’s now traditional to gather all the family round, especially the children, and invite everyone to have a really good stir and make a wish!
The mixture should have a fairly sloppy consistency – that is, it should fall instantly from the spoon when this is tapped on the side of the bowl. If you think it needs a bit more liquid add a spot more stout.
Cover the bowl and leave overnight.
Next day stir in the sifted flour quite thoroughly, then pack the mixture into the lightly greased basin, cover it with a double layer of baking parchment and a sheet of foil and tie it securely with string (you really need to borrow someone’s finger for this!). It’s also a good idea to tie a piece of string across the top to make a handle. Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan filled with simmering water and steam the pudding for 8 hours.
Do make sure you keep a regular eye on the water underneath and top it up with boiling water straight from the kettle about halfway through the time. When the pudding is steamed, let it get quite cold, then remove the baking parchment and foil and replace them with some fresh ones, again making a string handle for easy manoeuvring.
Now your Christmas pudding is ready for Christmas Day. Keep it in a cool place away from the light. Under the bed in an unheated bedroom is an ideal place.
On Christmas Day:*Fill a saucepan quite full with boiling water, put it on the heat and, when it comes back to the boil, place a steamer on top of the pan and turn it down to a gentle simmer.* Put the Christmas Pudding in the steamer cover and leave to steam for 2hrs 15 mins.* You'll need to check the water from time to time and maybe top it up a bit. When you are ready to serve the pudding, remove from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a palette knife all around the pudding and turn it out on to a warmed plate.* Place a suitably sized sprig of holly on top. Now warm a ladleful of brandy over direct heat and, as soon as the brandy is hot, turn out the flame and ask someone to set light to the brandy using a long match.
Place the ladle, now gently flaming, on top of the pudding - but don't pour it over until you reach the table (if you don't have a gas hob, warm the brandy in a small saucepan).* When you do, pour it slowly over the pudding, sides and all and watch it flame to the cheers of the assembled company!* When both flames and cheers have died down, serve the pudding with Christmas Rum Sauce, Cumberland Rum Butter or Brown Sugar Brandy Butter - see below.
If you have any left over, it will reheat beautifully, wrapped in foil, in the oven next day.
If you want two smaller puddings, use two 570ml basins, but give them the same steaming time.
Ingredients
For the pudding
450g/1lb*dried mixed fruit*(use a mixture of sultanas, raisins, and snipped apricots)
1 small cooking*apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1*orange, finely grated rind and juice
3 tbsp*brandy, sherry, or rum, plus extra for flaming
75g/3oz*butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
100g/3½oz light muscovado*sugar
2 free-range*eggs
100g/4oz*self-raising flour
1 tsp*mixed spice
40g/1½oz fresh white*breadcrumbs
40g/1½oz whole shelled*almonds, roughly chopped
For the brandy butter
100g/3½oz unsalted*butter, softened
225g/8oz*icing sugar, sieved
3 tbsp*brandy, rum or cognac
To serve
4 tbsp*brandy*or rum
Method
Measure the sultanas, raisins, apricots and apple into a bowl with the orange juice. Add the measured brandy (rum or sherry), stir and leave to marinate for about one hour.
Put the measured butter, sugar and grated orange rind into a large bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon or a hand-held whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the measured flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
Sift together the flour and mixed spice, then fold into the creamed mixture with the breadcrumbs and the nuts. Add the soaked dried fruits with their soaking liquid and stir well.
Generously butter a 1.4 litre/2½ pint pudding basin. Cut a small disc of foil or baking parchment and press into the base of the basin.
Spoon into the prepared pudding basin and press the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover the pudding with a layer of baking parchment paper and foil, both pleated across the middle to allow for expansion. Tie securely with string and trim off excess paper and foil with scissors.
To steam, put the pudding in the top of a steamer filled with simmering water, cover with a lid and steam for eight hours, topping up the water as necessary.
To boil the pudding, put a metal jam jar lid, or metal pan lid, into the base of a large pan to act as a trivet. Place a long, doubled strip of foil in the pan, between the trivet and the pudding basin, ensuring the ends of the strip reach up and hang over the edges of the pan. This will help you to lift the heavy pudding basin out of the pan of hot water when it has finished cooking.
Lower the pudding onto the trivet and pour in enough boiling water to come half way up the side of the bowl. Cover with a lid, bring the water back to the boil, then simmer for about seven hours, until the pudding is a glorious deep brown colour, topping up the water as necessary.
For the brandy butter, place the butter into a mixing bowl and cream with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy – or for speed use an electric hand-held mixer. Beat in the sieved icing sugar until smooth, then add brandy, rum or cognac, to taste. Spoon into a serving dish, cover and set aside in the fridge.
When cooked through, remove the pudding from the pan and cool completely. Discard the paper and foil and replace with fresh. Store in a cool, dry place.
To serve, on Christmas Day, steam or boil the pudding for about two hours to reheat. Turn the pudding onto a serving plate. To flame, warm the brandy or rum in a small pan, pour it over the hot pudding and set light to it. Serve with brandy butter.