From: esh2@po.CWRU.Edu (Evelyn S. Hlabse)
Subject: RECIPE:  English Christmas Pudding
Status: RO
Reply-To: esh2@po.CWRU.Edu (Evelyn S. Hlabse)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: 17 Dec 1992 18:26:11 GMT


Here are two good ones.  The first is from the Time/Life Cookbook
Series:  Recipes of the British Isles.

PLUM PUDDING (This makes 4 - you can easily half the recipe)

1 1/2 cups dried currants	
2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
2 cups seedless raisins		
1/2 lb. finely chopped beef suet
2 cups white raisins		
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped candied mixed fruit peel
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 cup chopped candied cherries
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 medium sized tart cook apple, peeeled, quarter, cored and chopped
1 small carrot scraped and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. finely grated orange peel
4 cups fresh soft crumbs, made from homemade-type white bread,
	pulverized in a blender
1 tsp. salt
6 eggs
1 cup brandy
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup branding, for flaming (optional)

In a large, deep bowl, combine the currants, seedless raisins, white
raisins, candied fruit peel, cherries, almonds, apple, carrot, orange
and lemon peel, and beef suet, tossing them about with a spoon or
your hands until well mixed.  Stir in the flour, bread crumbs, brown
sugar, allspice and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frother.  Stir int he cup of brandy,
the orange and lemon juice, and pour this mixture over the fruit mixture.
Knead vigorously with both hands, then beat with a wooden spoon until all
the ingredients are blended.  Drape a dampended kitchen towel over the bowl 
and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Spoon the mixture into four 1-quart English pudding basins or plain molds, 
filling them to within 2 inches of their tops.  Cover each mold with a
strip of buttered foil, turning the edges down and pressing the foil
tightly around the sides to secure it.  Drape a dampened kitchen towel over 
each mold and tie it in place around the sides with a long piece of kitchen 
cord.  Bring two opposite corners of the towel up to the top and knot
them in the center of the mold; then bring up the remaining two corners
and knot them similarly.

Place the molds in a large pot and pour in enough boiling water to come
about three fourths of the way up their sides.  Bring the water to a boil
over high heat, cover the pot tightly, redice the heat to its lowest point
and steam the puddings for 8 hours.  As the water in the steamer boils away,
replenish it with additonal boiling water.

When the puddings are done, remove them from the water and let them
cool to room temperature.  Then remove the towels and foil and recover
the molds tightly with fresh foil.  Refrigerate the puddings for at
least 3 weeks before serving.  Plum puddings may be kept up to a year
in the refrigerator or other cool place; traditionally they were often
made a year in advance.

To serve, place the mold in a pot and pour in enough boiling water to
come about three fourths of the way up the sides of the mold.  Bring to a
boil over high heat, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and steam for 2 
hours.  Run a knife around the inside edges of the mold and place
firmly together, turn them over.  The pudding should slide out easily.

Christmas pudding is traditionally accompanied by a hard sauce.  Small 
paper-wrapped coins (such as sixpenses and threepenny bits) are sometimes
pressed into the pudding as good luck pieces just before it is served.

If you would like to set the pudding aflame before you serve it, warm
the 1/2 cup brandy in a small saucepan over low heat, ignit it with a match
and pour it flaming over the pudding.

ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING (this is from the Joy of Christmas and I don't
think it is as good - it makes 2 puddings)

2/3 cup milk
1 cup molasses
2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup ground suet
1/2 cup firmly pack dark brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped blanced almonds
2 cups raisins or dried currants
1/2 lb. figs, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 lb. pitted dates, finely chopped
1/2 cup brandy

In a large bowl, mix milk, molasses and baking soda.  Stir in suet, brown 
sugar and eggs.  Blen in flour, spices and salt.  Fold in almonds, 
raisins, figs, dates and brandy.

Spoon mixture into 2 greased and floured heatproof bowls, 7 inches across 
and 4 inches deep.  Cover top with a double thickness of waxed paper, 
tied with a string.

English plum puddings are usually steamed, but for the sake of convenience
these will be oven-steamed.  Stand bowl in pans with water coming halfway
up the sides and bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours.  Cool
to lukewarm, remove waxed paper and remove puddings from bowls.  Wrap and
store in cool, dry place until ready to serve.

Unwrap puddings and return to bowls.  Cover tops with foil and reheat in a 300 
degree oven for 30 minutes.  turn out onto serving platter and cut
a hole 1 inch wide and 1 inch deep in top of pudding.  Surround mold
with cooked, dried, mixed fruit.  Fill hole with warmed brandy and spoon
some over the entrie pudding.  Set aflame.  When flames die, cut pudding
into serving pieces and top with hard sauce.

HARD SAUCE

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. brandy

Cream brown sugar with butter until fluffy.  Gradually beat in cream and
brandy.  Chill





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