Apple Suet Pudding Delia Smith Food

DELIA'S TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding. Take your largest, roomiest mixing bowl and start by putting in the suet and breadcrumbs, spices and sugar. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly together, then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, peel and nuts followed by the apple and the grated orange and lemon zests. Don't forget to tick everything off as you go to make sure nothing gets left out. Next 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 now traditional to gather all the family round, especially the children, and invite everyone to have a really good stir and 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 a bit more liquid add a spot more stout. Cover the bowl and leave overnight. Next day stir in the sifted flour quite thoroughly, then pack the mixture into the lightly greased basin, cover it with a double layer of baking parchment and a sheet of foil and tie it securely with string (you really need to borrow someone's finger for this!). It's also a good idea to tie a piece of string across the top to make a handle. Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan filled with simmering water and steam the pudding for 8 hours. Do make sure you keep a regular eye on the water underneath and top it up with boiling water straight from the kettle about halfway through the time. When the pudding is steamed, let it get quite cold, then remove the baking parchment and foil and replace them with some fresh ones, again making a string handle for easy manoeuvring. Now your Christmas pudding is ready for Christmas Day. Keep it in a cool place away from the light. Under the bed in an unheated bedroom is an ideal place. On Christmas Day: Two hours before you sit down to eat your Christmas dinner, fill a saucepan quite full with boiling water, put it on the heat and, when it comes back to the boil, place a steamer on top of the pan and turn it down to a gentle simmer. Put the Christmas pudding in the steamer, cover and leave to steam away until you're ready to eat it. You'll need to check the water from time to time and maybe top it up a bit. When you're ready to serve the pudding, remove it from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a palette knife all round the pudding, then turn it out on to a warmed plate. Place a suitably sized sprig of holly on top. Now warm a ladleful of brandy over direct heat and, as soon as the brandy is hot, turn out the flame and ask someone to set light to it using a long match. Place the ladle, now gently flaming, on top of the pudding - but don't pour it over until you reach the table. (If you don't have a gas hob, warm the brandy in a small saucepan.) When you do, pour it slowly over the pudding, sides and all, and watch it flame to the cheers of the assembled company! When both flames and cheers have died down, serve the pudding with Christmas Rum Sauce, or Cumberland Rum or Brandy Butter. If you have any left over, it will reheat beautifully, wrapped in foil, in the oven next day. If you want two smaller puddings, use two 570ml basins, but give them the same steaming time. If you want to make individual Christmas puddings for gifts, this quantity makes eight 175ml pudding basins. Steam for 3 hours, then resteam for 1 hour before serving. They look pretty wrapped in baking parchment and muslin and tied with attractive bows and tags

BAKED APPLE AND ALMOND PUDDING

Steps:

• Place the apples in a saucepan with the brown sugar and approximately 2 tablespoons of water, simmer gently until soft, and then arrange them in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy and then beat in the eggs a little at a time. When all the egg is in, carefully and lightly fold in the ground almonds. Now spread this mixture over the apples, and even out the surface with the back of a tablespoon. Then bake on a highish shelf in the oven for exactly 1 hour. This pudding is equally good served warm or cold - either way, it's nice with some chilled pouring cream. Once cooled, it will keep in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.

APPLE SUET PUDDING

Steps:

• Gradually add sugar to beaten eggs.
• Add suet, raisins, apples, vanilla and flour (sifted with salt and soda).
• Note: This should read 1 cup white sugar or 1 cup brown sugar.
• Steam 3 hours.
• To Steam: Place pudding in well oiled 1 1/2 quart mold, fill 2/3 full. Cover with lid of mold or 2 thicknesses of waxed paper securly tied. Cook in a covered steamer, over boiling water or on a rack in a covered kettle of boiling water. The water should be half the depth of the mold. Add more boiling water as needed.
• This was served with either a lemon sauce or a vinegar sauce.
• ENJOY!