Christmas Pudding

[Dawgluver]

My grandma and my great aunt both made plum pudding, I assume it's the same thing? A key ingredient was suet, and they steamed the pudding in cheese cloth, as I recall.

 

[Gravy Queen]

I bet we all have our own versions of it. I love a good Chrissy pud .

 

[CarolPa]

I've never known anyone who made Christmas pudding. Somehow it didn't make it across the pond

I remember my mother making it once because I had to go to the store and get the suet. But I don't remember anything about it. She is of English descent and that's why she wanted to make it. Apparently no one liked it because she never made it again to my knowledge.

 

[Addie]

So I got curious. Here is Nigella's Christmas Pudding. No wonder no one makes it today. It is a lot of work. More than even a fruit cake.

ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PUDDING | Recipes | Nigella Lawson

If you do make it six weeks ahead as recommended, you could have yourself a nice slosh by the time it is ripe to eat.

 

[CarolPa]

So I got curious. Here is Nigella's Christmas Pudding. No wonder no one makes it today. It is a lot of work. More than even a fruit cake.

ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PUDDING | Recipes | Nigella Lawson

If you do make it six weeks ahead as recommended, you could have yourself a nice slosh by the time it is ripe to eat.

I'm wondering if this is really what my mother made. Hers would NEVER have had alcohol in it.

 

[Somebunny]

I love Christmas pudding and was given a much coveted family recipe by my SIL's MIL. My SIL doesn't care for Christmas pudding so she didn't care to have the recipe. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate the recipe, haven't a clue where it got off to, and in fact it must have been lost right after I received it as I have never made it. Too make matters worse, the woman who have it to me passed shortly after . I shall have to use the Internet.

BTW......I make a fruit cake that has as much fruit as Christmas cake (and nuts too) and I have kept it soaked in brandy or rum of course for more than two years. Lol!

 

[Mad Cook]

I have been searching for a simple steamed pudding recipe and came across an idea that is new to me.

Instead of using a traditional pudding mold some people use wide mouth canning jars. They steam the pudding in the jars and then tighten the bands and lids to seal them as they cool.

I am wondering if any of you have used this method and have a TNT recipe for a pudding that uses this method.

I think it would be a great gift idea using 4 ounce or 8 ounce quilted jelly glasses.

Thanks for your help!

I'm not entirely convinced that storing them in airtight containers would be a very good idea (but not sure why I think that).

Dawgluvers family pudding was just wrapped in a cloth soaked in brandy which would allow nicely disinfected air to past through and they kept well. I store mine at room temperature in the basins they were cooked in with fresh greaseproof paper or baking parchment tied down with string and as I think I may have said, we ate a 5 year old one once and it was very good.

They won't go off because of the amount of sugar fat and fruit. My only failure in 30 years was the one made with veggie suet.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'm not entirely convinced that storing them in airtight containers would be a very good idea (but not sure why I think that).

Dawgluvers family pudding was just wrapped in a cloth soaked in brandy which would allow nicely disinfected air to past through and they kept well. I store mine at room temperature in the basins they were cooked in with fresh greaseproof paper or baking parchment tied down with string and as I think I may have said, we ate a 5 year old one once and it was very good.

They won't go off because of the amount of sugar fat and fruit. My only failure in 30 years was the one made with veggie suet.

My great aunt was a teetotaler, no way she would use any alcohol either (though she was really fond of rum raisin ice cream, who'd a thunk it?)

 

[Mad Cook]

I love Christmas pudding and was given a much coveted family recipe by my SIL's MIL. My SIL doesn't care for Christmas pudding so she didn't care to have the recipe. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate the recipe, haven't a clue where it got off to, and in fact it must have been lost right after I received it as I have never made it. Too make matters worse, the woman who have it to me passed shortly after . I shall have to use the Internet.

BTW......I make a fruit cake that has as much fruit as Christmas cake (and nuts too) and I have kept it soaked in brandy or rum of course for more than two years. Lol!

Wow! That Christmas cake should come with a public health and fire warning!

I don't want you to think I'm being pushy but you can have my C/pudding recipe if you'd like it.

It's not particularly hard work. You weigh the ingredients, mix them all up (I use my very clean hands) leave it to stand overnight with a cloth over the bowl. Then next day. give it a good stir (and make a wish*), adding a little more liquid if it needs it, pack it into bowls, cover them and steam for 6 hours more or less depending on size. You don't have to stand over them. As long as you are at home to make sure the pan doesn't dry out you can cook, clean, read, knit, do the laundry, watch television, prune the roses or anything you like.

* and it really will come true.

 

[taxlady]

You don't have. Christmas pudding in the US ?

I don't know about in the US, but we can buy it at the store in Canada. I once served a store bought one and it was wonderful, to those of us who like that kind of thing. One of my guests was having a real problem getting her piece down, until a friend said, "Not everyone likes it. You don't have to eat it." The look of relief on that guest's face was precious.

 

[Somebunny]

Wow! That Christmas cake should come with a public health and fire warning!

I don't want you to think I'm being pushy but you can have my C/pudding recipe if you'd like it.

It's not particularly hard work. You weigh the ingredients, mix them all up (I use my very clean hands) leave it to stand overnight with a cloth over the bowl. Then next day. give it a good stir (and make a wish*), adding a little more liquid if it needs it, pack it into bowls, cover them and steam for 6 hours more or less depending on size. You don't have to stand over them. As long as you are at home to make sure the pan doesn't dry out you can cook, clean, read, knit, do the laundry, watch television, prune the roses or anything you like.

* and it really will come true.

I would love for you to share your Christmas pudding recipe, how kind of you. . I would never think you were pushy!

 

[bakechef]

When I was young I would make it for my grandmother. She had fond memories of her grandmother (from England) making it. I didn't use suet though as that isn't a common ingredient here. I used her grandmother's mold with the locking top for steaming. I'd serve it with hard sauce, often called brandy butter (butter beaten with sugar and booze).

It's definitely not common here.

 

[Addie]

When I was young I would make it for my grandmother. She had fond memories of her grandmother (from England) making it. I didn't use suet though as that isn't a common ingredient here. I used her grandmother's mold with the locking top for steaming. I'd serve it with hard sauce, often called brandy butter (butter beaten with sugar and booze).

It's definitely not common here.

Now that is tradition with love.

When I make a rib roast, I just ask my butcher for a strip of beef suet to wrap the roast in. He always gives me a long free strip.

 

[taxlady]

When I was young I would make it for my grandmother. She had fond memories of her grandmother (from England) making it. I didn't use suet though as that isn't a common ingredient here. I used her grandmother's mold with the locking top for steaming. I'd serve it with hard sauce, often called brandy butter (butter beaten with sugar and booze).

It's definitely not common here.

What did you use instead of suet?

 

[Steve Kroll]

You don't have. Christmas pudding in the US ?

The corresponding tradition in this country is fruit cake. Usually it's made with dried fruit, nuts, and a good dose of brandy. Some of the homemade versions are very good and not entirely different from your traditional Christmas pudding. Unfortunately, most people these days buy store-bought fruit cakes, which are just awful and can be used for doorstops long after the holiday has passed.

By the way, a few years ago I brought a Tesco Christmas pud back with me from a trip to London. We let it mature in the cupboard and on Christmas day did the whole flaming table presentation. Quite fun!

 

[CarolPa]

When I was young I would make it for my grandmother. She had fond memories of her grandmother (from England) making it. I didn't use suet though as that isn't a common ingredient here. I used her grandmother's mold with the locking top for steaming. I'd serve it with hard sauce, often called brandy butter (butter beaten with sugar and booze).

It's definitely not common here.

I don't think you can walk into the supermarket here and buy suet. When my mother needed it, I worked for a company that owned a chain of supermarkets. I knew most of the store owners, so I went in and asked him for the suet.

 

[CarolPa]

The corresponding tradition in this country is fruit cake. Usually it's made with dried fruit, nuts, and a good dose of brandy. Some of the homemade versions are very good and not entirely different from your traditional Christmas pudding. Unfortunately, most people these days buy store-bought fruit cakes, which are just awful and can be used for doorstops long after the holiday has passed.

By the way, a few years ago I brought a Tesco Christmas pud back with me from a trip to London. We let it mature in the cupboard and on Christmas day did the whole flaming table presentation. Quite fun!

Those store bought fruitcakes are usually a gag gift. Aren't they? Who would really eat them? You give them to someone you don't like, such as your boss. LOL My first job was at the candy counter of an upscale department store. Around the holidays, they sold a delicious fruitcake from a company named Barton's. I don't know if that company is still in business.

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't think you can walk into the supermarket here and buy suet. When my mother needed it, I worked for a company that owned a chain of supermarkets. I knew most of the store owners, so I went in and asked him for the suet.

You can find it at the garden store, in the bird food section, but you might have to melt it to get the seeds out.

<runs and hides>

 

[Andy M.]

I don't think you can walk into the supermarket here and buy suet. When my mother needed it, I worked for a company that owned a chain of supermarkets. I knew most of the store owners, so I went in and asked him for the suet.

You should be able to get suet from a butcher shop.

Those store bought fruitcakes are usually a gag gift. Aren't they? Who would really eat them? You give them to someone you don't like, such as your boss. LOL My first job was at the candy counter of an upscale department store. Around the holidays, they sold a delicious fruitcake from a company named Barton's. I don't know if that company is still in business.

I understand people consider fruitcake a joke. That's probably because there are some crappy fruitcakes out there. I happen to like fruitcake and have had some good store bought versions. I haven't yet made a fruitcake. I don't even have a recipe.

 

[bakechef]

What is this "butcher shop" of which you speak?

When I worked for a previous company, we sold a fruit cake that was made with tons of nuts and dried fruit instead of candied and it was so delicious,I should really try to recreate it. There is also a place here in nc that makes one that is quite good and it does have some candied fruit, I think that it's called Southern Supreme.