Christmas Pudding

submitted by nathan
from US

4 ounces shredded suet (I usually cannot get suet, so use butter)
2 ounces self rising flour
4 ounces breadcrumbs
1 leavel teaspoon ground mixed spice (see below for how to make this)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
a "good pinch" ground cinnamon
8 ounces soft dark brown sugar
4 ounces golden raisins
4 ounces raisins
4 ounces currants
1 ounce mixed candied peel, finely chopped
1 ounce almonds, skinned and chopped
1 small cooking apple (I use Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and choppped
grated zest of 1/2 large orange
grated zest of 1/2 large lemon
2 large eggs
2.5 ounces stout
2.5 ounces barley wine (or, additional 2.5 ounces stout if you cannot
obtain this ingredient) 2 tablespoons rum

Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding. Take a large, roomy
mixing bowl and start by putting the suet, sifted flour, breadcrumbs,
spices, and sugar in it. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly toether,
then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, mixed peel, and nuts followed
by the apple and grated orange and lemon zests. Don't forget anything -
tick it off on the recipe. Now, in a smaller basin measure out the rum,
barley wine, and stout, then add the eggs and beat these thoroughly
together. Next pour this over all the other ingredients and begin to mix
very thoroughly. It's traditional to gather all the family round,
especially the children, and invite everyone to have a really good stir
and to make a wish! The mixture should have a fairly sloppy consistency -
that is, it should fall instantly from the spoon when this is tapped on
the side of the bowl. If you think it needs more liquid, add a spot more
stout. Cover the bowl and leave overnight.

Next day pack the mixture into the lightly greased basin, cover it with a
double sheet of greaseproof (wax) paper and a sheet of foil, and tie it
securely with string. It's also a good idea to tie a piece of string over
the top to make a handle. Place the pudding in a steamer set over a
saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 8 hours (yes,
that's EIGHT hours). Do make sure you keep a regular eye on the water
underneath and top it up with boiling water from the kettle from time to
time. When the pudding is steamed, let it get quite cold, then remove the
steam papers and foil and replace with fresh ones, again making a string
handle for easier monoeuvering. Now your Christmas pudding is all ready
for chirstmas day. Keep it in a cool place away from the light (in our HOT
homes in America, I keep it in the fridge. Delia suggests you keep it in
a spare bedroom under the bed. Of course, I don't know many British folk
who _have_ a spare bedroom, but that's beside the point). The pudding
should be made about 6 weeks in advance.

On Christmas day, steam the pudding again for about 2 hours. Then, take it
out of the steamer, remove the wrappers. Slide a knife all around the
pudding, then turn it out onto a warmed plate. Place a suitably sized
sprig of holly on top. Now take a ladleful of warm brandy (I use apple
brandy) and heat it over direct head and when it's hot, ask someone to
light it. Place the ladle, now gently flaming, on top of the pudding, but
don't pour it over until you reach the table. When you do, turn the lights
down and pour it slowly over the pudding, sides and all. It flames
beautifully. You can serve it with rum butter, custard sauce, etc.

Some notes on mixed spice:

This is a spice mixture used in the UK for adding to cakes, pies, etc. I
guess that the closest equivalent we've got in the USA is apple pie
spice. I have found a formula for making mixed spice (from Elizabeth
David's _English Bread and Yeast Cookery_) which is as follows:

2 parts nutmeg
2 parts pepper OR allspice (I'd use allspice myself)
1 part cinnamon
1 part cloves
1 part dried ginger

The stuff I used, which came back with me from a trip to Britain that I
took, has the following
Cinnamon
Coriander
Caraway
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cloves

No idea about exact proportions. I haven't found this mixture in America
at all. So, experiment!


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