Christmas pudding

[Ishbel]

Amber
Your husband is right about the pottery pots! I've always used ceramic pots (I've got 6 small and 3 large) - but I have a friend who uses plastic pudding moulds and swears by them, they come with their own little lid and therefore remain well-encased without having to ensure the foil 'lid' is still watertight!

I can't see why stainless wouldn't work, although I've never used them.

I admire you for trying to get it so authentic!

 

[Ishbel]

I am late this year in making my Christmas cakes and Christmas puddings - doing them this weekend. So I'm bumping this thread in case anyone is interested in how to make a traditional British Christmas pud!

 

[lulu]

I haven't tried Delia's Ishbel, I'll have a look at it for next year, it looks lighter than my family recipe. I am too late for this this year to try this one.
An icecream idea....instead of vanilla try chestnut icecream. I did thet last year and it was unbelievebly delicious. I made a huge bowl of the stuff and crumbled a whole pudding into it and even the hard boiled puding is pudding officianados agreed it was something delicious with the rich chestnut icecream. I made the icecream with a thick vanilla custard, rum and sweetened chestnut puree.

 

[Ishbel]

I use her recipe instead of my own family one, Lulu. I've been using it for about 5 years or so because it IS lighter than my traditional one. I've been ill and unable to cope with the annual trek to get all the ingredients for puddings and cakes - husband got them for me last weekend, faithfully following my list and cursing every step of the way... So, loins will be girded on Saturday and I'll set to making them about 3 weeks later than normal.

Your chestnut icecream sounds GREAT. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Aunt Lisa's Kitchen]

Hi Ishbel and Everyone,
I would like to try this lovely recipe...but I would like to give them as gifts in a smaller size. I have 8 oz. basins, will it work in that small size? Would the steaming time be the same?

Thanks!!

 

[Ishbel]

I've never made them smaller than a 1 lb size and I steam the smaller 1 lb puddings for the same time as the large pud. I'll go back to a couple of my cookery books and see if they have any advice re small sized puds/steaming times.

Edited to add: I re-read the original post on this thread and here's Delia Smith's advice re small puds#

"If you want to make individual Christmas puddings for gifts, this quantity makes eight 6 oz (175 g) small metal pudding basins. Steam them for 3 hours, then re-steam for 1 hour. They look pretty wrapped in silicone paper and muslin and tied with attractive bows and tags."

 

[Aunt Lisa's Kitchen]

Hi Ishbel,
Ohhh goody. Thanks so much for the quick answer. I'll be sure to let you know how tasty everything turns out!