This year stir it up Sunday fell on the 22nd of November, that's the day when traditionally everyone makes their Christmas puddings with all the members of the family taking turns to stir it up! In typically disorganised fashion I missed the 22nd by almost two weeks but I always make the puddings and this year was no different, I was just a bit late!
Stir it up!Christmas pudding can be a bit heavy and hard to eat especially if you try to eat it right after Christmas dinner like we always do in my family, in my search for the perfect pudding I've tried lots of different recipes in the past some better than others. The most successful was a recipe from Riverford Organics called The best Christmas pudding I have ever tasted, with a name like that I had high expectations, thankfully it didn't let me down.
Like a lot of traditional British puddings Christmas puddings are cooked by steaming, the mixture is spooned into a pudding basin, covered tightly and placed in a pan of simmering water (lid on) and steamed for two to three hours. If you have never made a steamed pudding before it can be a bit daunting but it's really very easy, once you've made your mixture you can just leave them gently simmering while you go and do other things. Just don't let the pan boil dry!
The puddings waiting to be steamed, I won't see them again until Christmas day.
Like a lot of traditional British puddings Christmas puddings are cooked by steaming, the mixture is spooned into a pudding basin, covered tightly and placed in a pan of simmering water (lid on) and steamed for two to three hours. If you have never made a steamed pudding before it can be a bit daunting but it's really very easy, once you've made your mixture you can just leave them gently simmering while you go and do other things. Just don't let the pan boil dry!
The puddings waiting to be steamed, I won't see them again until Christmas day.I wouldn't say that this makes a 'light' pudding but it is lighter than normal, it's also sweet, fruity, boozy and delicious. I changed the recipe slightly by switching some of the raisins and sultanas for dried apricots, you could use all kinds of dried fruits, cherries, cranberries or figs would be good. You could also add nuts such as walnuts or pecans, the recipe is really flexible.
The great thing about making Christmas puddings is that they keep almost indefinitely, in fact the flavour gets better over time so the earlier you make them the better!
Find the recipe here.
6 comments:
I made a steamed pudding once - several years ago - and it was wonderful. Don't know why i haven't made one again; just haven't done it.Thanks for posting this - maybe I'll get to looking at some recipes!
Lol, love the name, its certainly attention catching. I made my own Xmas pud for the first time this year so will be interested to see how yours turns out. It looks very appetizing already
I'm planning to make a christmas pudding this year, this sounds great!
My mum does a boiled rather than a steamed pudding. Very hard to eat in a 35C Queensland December, but delicious!
Does yours have grated carrot in it?
sounds yummy, Sam - but I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating... ;)
Adding dried apricots is a nice twist, esp when so many people seem to dislike raisins, sultanas, and currants (though I've no idea why!)
Sam - yup, it really is boiled. Instead of the mixture being put into a basin, it's wrapped in a well-floured cloth, and the flour makes a sort of skin around it. It's lovely!
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