Christmas Pudding/Christmas Plum Pudding

This is a very special post this year as this was one of the best conquests I made this Christmas!I made the pudding which turned our to be extremely delicious and mouthwatering!

You can either buy ceramic pudding bowls from Mason Cash – they are so pretty or use stainless steel basins available easily in the market.

The Mason Cash ceramic pudding basin…

Serve with eggnog cream,custard or with a sprinkling of currants and a leaf of Mistletoe with some powdered icing sugar on top!God Bless us all!Merry Christmas!

Thanks Nigella Lawson for the awesome recipe!

Traditionally they steam the pudding for 6 – 7 hours in a normal steamer.I used the pressure cooker and it took just less than half the time!

Preparation Time : 2 hours

Maturation Time – As you wish!

Re steaming Time – 1 hour

Makes – One 500 gms pudding or 8 – 9 servings

INGREDIENTS

400 gms mixed and soaked fruit

1 Apple – peeled,cored and grated

1 Orange – juice extracted and zest

3 tbsp Brandy,Sherry or Rum

75 gms butter

100 gms brown/muscovado sugar

2 eggs

100 gms self raising flour/100 gms plain flour mixed with 1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spice

40 gms breadcrumbs

40 gms chopped Almonds

METHOD

Butter the pudding basin well and keep aside.Choose a pressure cooker in which the basin fits comfortably and fill it 1/4 with water.Heat it and keep on the lowest flame.

Mix the flour,breadcrumbs and mixed spice in a bowl.In another bowl beat the eggs and butter till creamy.Add the sugar and beat with a spatula till well mixed.Add the grated Apple,Orange zest and juice,liqueur,almonds and the soaked fruit.Mix well and fold in the dry ingredients.Mix well and spoon into the greased pudding basin.

After packing the pudding basin with the delicious pudding mix..

Cover with a double layer of aluminium foil and place in the pressure cooker.Fill upto 3/4 of the bowl with water and close lid.

REMOVE THE VENT WEIGHT OF THE COOKER FOR STEAMING THE PUDDING

Steam on medium heat WITHOUT THE WEIGHT for 2 hours.After 1 hour open the cooker to see the level of water and refill for the next hour.Steam for another hour.Take off heat and leave to cool.

After coming to room temperature replace the double layer of aluminium foil and refrigerate till Christmas without opening the foil cover.

Storing the basin covered with aluminium foil…

On Christmas Day take out at least 2 hours before steaming.Steam the same way but for 1 hour and take off heat.Take the basin out of the hot water and leave it to come to room temperature.This should take 2 hours.

Unmould the pudding onto a serving plate and decorate with any fruit,icing sugar,custard or eggnog cream!In keeping with the tradition pour some rum or brandy over the top and set alight!This is called flambè!

Bring flaming to the table!Season’s Greetings!

NOTE : You can serve the pudding after the first steaming as well after allowing it to cool down!But the flavours develop after storing it for some days in the refrigerator!