Plum Pudding Recipe?
My apologies if this has been asked recently...
My mother is looking for a "traditional English Plum Pudding recipe." She is also interested in a recipe for "the accompanying Hard Sauce."
I am completely ignorant of all matters concerning desserts. If Plum Pudding is not English, or if Plum Pudding is not accompanied by a Hard Sauce, please don't shoot the messenger. ;)
Seriously though, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Erik M.
Chicago
Erik M.
Nov 04, 2003 01:28PM
The recipe (called Christmas Pudding here) linked below from Helen Watson's incredible British cooking website is a good one.
By the way, check out the rest of this website -- it's the most comprehensive collection of British recipes I've ever seen.
Link: http://www.hwatson.force9.co.uk/cookb...
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I've typed out two recipes for plum pudding.
One is from "Out of Old Ontario Kitchens", a collection of recipes from Canadian, American, and English cookbooks published between 1820 and 1867. It will likely be as close to "old fashioned" as you can get. I've included explanatory notes for the ingredients and methods (believe me, you'll need them). I find it fun to try these old recipes, and I've been please with other recipes I've used from this book. I've made plum pudding several times, but not this particular recipe.
The other is from the "Canadian Homestead Cookbook" a collection of 19th and early 20th-century family recipes. That recipe is more modern, as it uses butter rather than suet, and the instructions are clearer (old recipes are rather cryptic and require an experienced cook). I've also included the recipe for Brandy Hard Sauce from this book.
Traditionally, the pudding was decorated with sprigs of holly. A wineglass full of brandy (How big a wineglass? My source doesn't specify.) was warmed, poured over the pudding, and lit just before it was brought to the table. If you can do this without setting the house or yourself on fire, go for it.
Noel Richardson's advice from "Winter Pleasures" is:
"To flame the pudding, heat some brandy in a silver spoon held over a candle. When the brandy ignites, pour it over the pudding and the holly. Rush to the table with the flaming pudding, singing 'Bring in the Figgy Pudding.' Collapse in your chair and refuse to do the dishes. That is work for those who did not cook Christmas dinner."
Let us know what your Mom decided to do and how it turned out.
OLD ENGLISH CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING
from "Out of Old Ontario Kitchens", by Christina Bates, Pagurian Press, 1978
Reprinted from "The Canadian Housewife's Manual of Cookery" by Henry I. Richards, 1861
To make what is termed a pound pudding, take of raisins well stoned, currants thoroughly washed, one pound each; chop a pound of suet very finely and mix with them; add a quarter of a pound of flour, or bread very finely crumbled, three ounces of sugar, one ounce and a half of grated lemon peel, a blade of mace, half a small nutmeg, one teaspoonful of ginger, half a dozen eggs, well beaten; work it well together, put it into a cloth, tie it firmly, allowing room to swell, and boil not less than five hours. It should not be suffered to stop boiling. Serve with brandy or wine sauce.
Notes:
- Ingredient equivalents:
1 lb currants or raisins = 2 + 3/8 cups
1 lb suet = 5 cups
1/4 lb all-purpose flour = 1 cup
3 oz sugar = approximately 1/3 cup, rounded; either white or firmly packed brown sugar can be used. I'd use brown.
1.5 oz lemon peel = freshly grated peel from 2-3 lemons
blade of mace = about 3/4 tsp mace (I buy mine in blades and grind them)
1/2 small nutmeg = 1/2 to 1 tsp. I'd err on the side of caution and use the smaller amount. I love nutmeg, but too much can overpower everything.
- Cooking: In those days, a clean cloth was wrung out in boiling water, then dredged in flour, which made a fairly batterproof coating. The batter is (or should be) very thick. It was placed in the cloth, and the cloth tied up. The resulting pudding looked like a cannonball. When I've cooked plum puddings, I've placed the batter in a greased metal or ceramic bowl or a metal mould (you can buy them inexpensively) and I tied a cloth over the top, leaving it a little loose across the opening. I placed the bowl on a small rack or trivet inside the pot (again, you can buy these for a few dollars--look for a "Double Boiler Maker") Boiling water is then poured in, to about 1-2 inches below the lip of the bowl. The water should be kept at a simmer, but not a rolling boil. Put the lid on the pot. Keep checking the water level and add more boiling water as necessary. Yes, it really does take five to six hours for these puddings to steam.
- Fresh or preserved plums (prunes) were sometimes used, but it was more customary to use raisins and currants as substitutes.
- Dark raisins, golden Sultana raisins ("raisins of the sun" and currants were favourites. At that time, the most common dark raisins were the dried fruits of the large seeded Muscat grape. before they could be used, Muscat raisins had to be cut open and the seeds removed. The raisins were then halved or sliced. The seedless varieties now available make this unnecessary, but if the seeded Muscat raisins are available, their flavour is supposed to be worth the extra work.
- Washing currants is unnecessary now as they are cleaned before being packaged.
- Both raisins and currants are better if boiled a few minutes in water or allowed to soak overnight in orange juice, brandy, rum, or whiskey before being used.
BRANDY PLUM PUDDING (Serves 6)
from the "Canadian Homestead Cookbook" by Jeanne Scargall, Methuen Publications, 1980
Sugar
1/3 cup soft butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. brandy
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/3 cup candied pineapple, chopped
1/3 cup candied cherries, chopped
1/3 cup citron, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Grease a 5-cup mould or pudding dish, sprinkle it with sugar, and shake it around to coat the bottom and sides.
Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg and brandy. Stir in the fruit and nuts.
Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and spices. Stir into the fruit mixture, mixing well.
Spoon batter into the mould. Cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil or a lid. Set on a rack in a large kettle. Add boiling water halfway up the side of the mould. Cover the pan tightly, and allow to steam for four hours.
Store pudding in a cool, dry place. Steam again for about 1-1/2 hours before serving.
Notes:
- The candied peel, fruit, and citron made nowadays is usually heavily coated with preservatives and it must be washed before being used. Pour boiling water into a bowl to cover the required amount of candied peel/fruit/citron, stirring and swishing the water for about a minute. Rinse and drain thoroughly before using. Soaking it in Sherry or Madeira (or the other suggested liquids) improves the flavour immensely.
- I'd be inclined to replace the candied pineapple and cherrie with some other dried fruit of choice, but that's personal taste.
BRANDY HARD SAUCE
1/2 cup soft butter
1 + 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
3 tbsp. Brandy
Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar and brandy. Chill until serving time.
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Fantastic recipes -- thank you!
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Mrs. Smith:
Thank you. If you have anything to add in the way of tips, please do so. I know from your posts that you're an excellent baker, and likely have more experience with these than I do.
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I wish I had helpful hints -- I've never cooked a steamed pudding like this myself, although I have eaten them many times. The main reason I've never baked one is that I'd have to be eating it alone -- no one in my family would eat this sort of thing with me! So I can just wish and sigh, and keep recipes, and maybe try to make an individual version of yours. It just looks so delicious and festive!
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I know what you mean. I love them, and used to make them at Christmas when I lived at home (my brothers are quite omnivorous and love treats like this).
However, there's just me and my husband, and he doesn't like that sort of thing. Same with a lot of other people.
I hope you get a chance to make one for a family gathering some time. They are fun to do, and except for hanging around during the steaming, really easy.
I don't bother aging mine. I'm of the opinion that the puddings and fruitcakes were made ahead of time because they involved so much labour--seeding raisins, shaving citron, shelling and blanching nuts, and so on. There was a lot to do for day to day living, and there was a lot of other work to be done at Christmas. These would keep with a day-to-day application of alcohol. The only thing I've noticed with aging is that you get a fruitcake/pudding that is VERY boozy in taste. If you like that, fine. I don't, so I don't age them.
Something to consider if you ever make one in future. :-)
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Aging also allows the flavors to mellow and blend. At least ,a few days worth of aging does--gingerbread, for example, tastes much better a few days after baking than it does the day it was made. Fruitcake probably likewise. Personally, I age my fruitcake at least six weeks because I like the boozy taste, but it also gives it a denser texture, which I love.
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I think aging is one of those po-TAY-to/po-TAH-to debates.
Mine do get to age a few days to a week, simply because I'm not nuts enough to try to do one of those on the same day I'm trying to get Christmas dinner. :-)
As to how long you age it--personal preference. I do think that making it the year before for next year is overdoing it, though. Even the old cookbooks I have don't indicate that. Usually the plum puddings and fruitcakes were made in October/November for that coming Christmas.
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From what I understand, traditionally they were made the Sunday before Advent started, which was known as Stir-Up Sunday, when the pudding was stored--everyone in the household gave it a stir for good luck.
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What a neat piece of trivia! Thanks--I love cooking history.
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What a great piece of trivia! I love cooking history.
Thanks
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As Nancy Berry's recipe indicates, Christmas (Plum) Pudding is usually made the previous winter for the next Christmas, kept in a dark cool cupboard, and topped up with Guinness stout (or something else) for 9 months or so. My mother in law in England makes them every year. Her secret ingredient is carrots. Also, good brandy and Guinness. If you want it for this year, you might want to buy one. Cross & Blackwell's is decent, and they sell them in lots of places in the US.
Cheers!
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A useful hint I picked up in using suet is to freeze the suet for a bit, until it's hard, and then putting it in the food processor to chop fine--saves a lot of time and works nicely. It's waht we do for the mincemeat.
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Great idea! I'll remember that the next time I make a suet pudding.
Thanks.
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Thank you all so much for the recipes and pointers.
My mother wanted me to assure you that she (she really means me) will report back on the results. ;)
Cheers,
Erik M.
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