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A Glorious Plum Pudding For Christmas Pt 1
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients and directions for this recipe
-THE PUDDING MIXTURE-
3 c Crumbs from homemade type
-white bread-a; crust on,
-will do
; 1/2-pound loaf, it
-(lightly packed
; down)
1 c Each: black raisins; yellow
-raisins, and
; currants, chopped
1 1/3 c Sugar
1/2 ts Each: cinnamon; mace, and
; nutmeg--more if
; needed
8 oz Butter; melted (2 sticks)
4 lg Eggs; lightly beaten
Few drops of almond extract
1/2 c Bitter orange marmalade
1/2 c Rum or bourbon whiskey;
-heated before
; serving
1 Sprig holly; optional
2 c Zabaione Sauce
----------------------ZABAIONE SAUCE (FOR ABOUT----------------------
1 lg Egg
2 Egg yolks
1 sm Pinch of salt
1/3 c Rum or bourbon whiskey; (or
-Marsala or
; sherry)
1/3 c Dry white French vermouth
1/2 c Sugar
---------------------SPECIAL EQUIPMENT SUGGESTED---------------------
A food processor is useful
-for making the; such as a
-round
; bread crumbs and chopping
-the raisins;, bottomed
-metal
; an 8-cup pudding
-container, mixing bowl; a
; cover for the bowl;
; a steamer basket or
; trivet; a roomy
; soup kettle with
; tight-fitting cover
; to hold bowl,
; cover, and basket.
Timing note:
Like a good fruitcake, a plum pudding develops its full flavor when
made at least a week ahead. Count on 6 hours for the initial, almost
unattended steaming, and 2 hours to reheat before serving.
The pudding mixture:
Toss the bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl with the raisins, sugar
and spices. Then toss with the melted butter, and finally with the
rest of the ingredients, except, of course, the holly and Zabaione
Sauce. Taste carefully for seasoning, adding more spices if needed.
To microwave Plum Pudding:
Butter the dish you are cooking the pudding in, then cover the bottom
of the dish with a buttered piece of wax paper. Pour in batter. Cover
dish with plastic wrap and pierce the plastic with a knife in several
places. Cook at "defrost" (low speed) for 30 minutes. If your
microwave oven does not have a carousel which turns the dish during
cooking, stop the process several times during the cooking and rotate
the dish manually. Finally, cook at 5 minutes on "bake" (high speed).
Let the pudding set for a few minutes before unmolding. The pudding
is ready when it is firm to the touch. The microwaved plum pudding is
somewhat paler than its steamed counterpart.
To steam a Plum Pudding:
Use a special pan made for this purpose. You must have a container
with a very tight lid on it which will stay sealed throughout the
cooking. Steaming--about 6 hours: Pack the pudding mixture into the
container; cover with a round of wax paper and the lid. Set the
container on the steaming contraption in the kettle, and add enough
water to come a third of the way up the sides of the container. cover
the kettle tightly; bring to the simmer, and let steam about 6 hours.
Warning: check the kettle now and then to be sure the water hasn't
boiled off!
When is it done? When it is a dark walnut-brown color and fairly firm
to the touch. Curing and storing. Let the pudding cool in its
container. Store it in a cool wine cellar, or in the refrigerator.
Ahead -of-time note: Pudding will keep nicely for several months.
Resteaming: A good 2 hours before you plan to serve, resteam the
pudding-it must be quite warm indeed for successful flaming. Unmold
onto a hot serving platter and decorate, if you wish, with sprigs of
holly.
continued in part 2
See also:
Previous recipe A Garden Of Spring Tulips Cake
Next recipe A Glossary Of Edible Flowers
Or try one of these recipes:
Chinese Cabbage Salad 2
Molasses Cookies 2^