TheBanyanTree: Christmas/Plum Pudding Recipe

[bluenosr at ns.sympatico.ca]

On 25 Nov 2003 at 16:44, WolfSinger wrote:

> Well, kinda.  I would like all you Poms, Ex-Poms, and Pommie wannabes
> to send in your bestest Christmas Pudding recipes.  I've always
> thought they sounded marvelous, but have never had the chance to try
> one.
 
and

On 26 Nov 2003 at 7:18, Woofie wrote:
> Now..the prob fer youse deprived Mercans is that you prolly woan be
> able ter git the essential ingredients. Now
> currants we use in fruit cakes and puds is not red or black or 
white > currants from currant bushes but a tiny dried grape ..small, 
black, > tangy and slightly bitter in flavour..

Will a Canukean of Pommie/Mercan extraction do?

And Woofie's right <fer once> about them currants!

OK, here's the one our family has eaten for years.  It's called 
"French Fruit Pudding", and it's in the "Boston Cooking-School Cook 
Book" - the 'Fannie Farmer Cookbook' Mom called it.  It was one of 
her textbooks in college and it's well-worn!  And the recipe is 
yummy, especially with Sterling Hard Sauce on it!!!!!  See recipe 
(way) below.

FRENCH FRUIT PUDDING

1 c. finely chopped suet 		1/2 t. clove
1 c. molasses					1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour milk					1 1/4 c. raisins, seeded & chopped
1 1/2 t. soda					3/4 c. currants
1 t. cinnamon					2 3/4 c. flour

Add molasses and sour milk to suet; add 2 cups flour mixed and sifted 
with soda, salt, and spices; add fruit mixed with remaining flour.  
Turn into a buttered mould, cover, and steam 4 hours.  Serve with 
Sterling Hard Sauce.
Note: my 't' is for teaspoon.  :)

Containers.  Mom often used fancy ones that looked like miniature 
bundt cake pans, you know, with the hole in the middle and fluted? 
I've also seen her do them in tin cans, which is the way I did.  Just 
make sure that whatever you use is well greased (shortening will do), 
lined with a bottom and sides of brown paper and greased again.  
Don't fill containers full.  3/4 full is plenty, to allow for rising!

Covers for containers can be waxed paper or greased brown paper and 
tied on with string. Cut covers in circles to allow them to be shaped 
like domes, a couple of inches higher than top rim of container.  

As for steaming, use either a rigged-up ledge inside a large pot or 
canning kettle or a steamer - usually with a bottom pot, a ledge or 
tray with holes, plus a deep cover.  Place containers of pudding on 
ledge.  Cover pot.  Don't fergit the water!  :)))

STERLING SAUCE
(We called it Sterling Hard Sauce)

1/2 c. butter			1 t. vanilla or
1 c. brown sugar		2 T. wine
4 T cream or milk

Cream butter, add sugar gradually (the slower the better) and milk 
and flavoring drop by drop to prevent separation.  

Me notes:
I often used Drambuey (sp?), or brandy, or brandy extract. Excellent.
The slower you put it together, the creamier it will be.  Also, the 
richer the cream, the smoother the sauce, so don't stint.

We often pressed it into a pan and roughed up the surface, like you 
do sometimes on cake icing. Then, after itschilled and hardened, we 
cut it in squares and either placed the squares on a serving tray, or 
one beside each pre-cut piece of pudding.

Another thing you can do is press sauce into a plan so it is 1/2 or 
3/4 inch thick.  Chill it until it's solid.  Then, use a fancy cookie 
cutter (like a bell or holly) to cut them for a serving tray.  Do 
this just before serving.  

If anyone has any questions, please contact me and I'll be glad to 
help if I can.

===

Carolyn A. Johnson
bluenosr at ns.sympatico.ca