*  Exported from  MasterCook  *
 
                       NANA MOON'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 2    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Puddings
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    3       c            Flour (unbleached)
      1/2   lb           Suet (see note)
    1       c            Brown sugar
    1       c            Bread crumbs
      3/4   lb           Raisins
      3/4   lb           Sultanas
                         -(or golden raisins)
      1/4   lb           Currants
    1       c            Brandy
                         -(or orange juice,
                         -or a mixture of both)
    1       tb           Golden (cane) syrup
    5                    Eggs
      1/2   ts           Baking soda
    1       tb           Milk
 
   Combine the suet, flour, sugar, bread crumbs, fruit
   and brandy.  Cover and allow to stand overnight.
   
   Add the syrup and beaten eggs.  Dissolve the baking
   soda in the milk, and add to mixture. Stir until
   everything’s combined. (The mixture will be fairly
   thick. My mother used to get help at this stage by
   telling us that if we stirred it three times and made
   a wish, the wish would come true. This only works with
   Christmas puddings.)
   
   Place in two 1 1/2 quart pudding basins, cover with
   paper and several layers of aluminum foil, and steam
   for 4 hours.
   
   When you're going to eat it, steam it for a further 2
   hours.  Serve by turning it out of the bowl, and
   pouring flaming brandy over it (see below). Serve with
   brandy butter (hard brandy sauce).
   
   This pudding needs time to age between when you cook
   it and Christmas.  My mother generally makes it about
   a month before.  Keep it in the refrigerator until the
   day you will be eating it.
   
   Each pudding will serve about 8-10 people.  If you
   halve the recipe, use 3 eggs.  You can also add
   cherries, figs, almonds and so on when you're adding
   the fruit.
   
   NOTES:
   
   *  Old-fashioned Christmas boiled pudding -- This
   recipe was first written down by my great-grandmother.
   It’s an old-fashioned boiled pudding, and was always a
   special part of Christmas in my family. Nana Moon’s
   family came from Sofala, the site of the 1851 gold
   rush in New South Wales, Australia, where they raised
   sheep (before the gold rush). It’s probably based on
   an English recipe.
   
   This recipe differs from others I've seen in that it
   uses no spices, just dried fruit and brandy.  Perhaps
   spices were too difficult to get, it tastes great
   anyway. Makes two puddings.
   
   *  The suet can be replaced with some other form of
   shortening.  The packaged suet we used to be able to
   get in Australia was only about 35 percent suet, the
   rest was cornflour (cornstarch). Avoid that at all
   costs. For a few years, we bought suet from the
   butcher and grated it ourselves (ok, we used a
   blender), but no one should have to do that (at least,
   not during an Australian summer).
   
   *  If you decide to go for authenticity and use a
   pudding bag, here’s how:
   
   Get a large piece of calico (it must have a tight
   weave), and boil it for a few minutes.  Rub flour into
   the inner surface.  Place 1/2 the mixture on it, and
   bring the corners together, leaving room for the
   mixture to rise. Tie with string. Cook by immersing in
   boiling water, when you add extra water, it must be
   already boiling, or the pudding will get soggy. The
   pudding will be rounder, and have a better crust than
   one steamed in a pudding bowl.  A good crust means
   that the brandy won't soak in when you light it, so
   it'll burn for longer. Age the pudding by hanging it
   in a cool, dry place.  The problem with using a
   pudding bag is that it tends to grow mold if the
   climate is too humid.
   
   *  To light the pudding, heat about 1/4 cup of brandy
   in a saucepan.  Light it, then pour over the pudding
   and carry it to the table.
   
   : Difficulty:  moderate.
   : Time:  1 day waiting, 30 minutes preparation, 4
   hours cooking, 1 month aging.
   : Precision:  approximate measurement OK.
   
   : Kathy Morris
   : Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif., USA
   : sun!navajo!morris morris@navajo.stanford.edu
   
   : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust
  
 
 
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