Binks Traditional Aussie Chrissy Pud Food

BINK'S TRADITIONAL AUSSIE CHRISSY PUD!

Steps:

• Chop fruit, pour over booze, add grated lemon rind and juice, cover and soak for preferably a couple of weeks (or overnight if you are impatient and can settle for a less full bodied pudding).
• Cream butter, gradually add beaten eggs and brown sugar; beat well.
• Add remaining ingredients; stir vigorously. (I cheated and used a mixmaster and hand beater)
• To steam: (I found steaming causes the pudding to be moister and much more scrummy)
• Pack into greased 4 1/2 pint pudding basin; cover with greased aluminium foil.
• Secure with string and steam for four hours.
• For a large family pudding, double the quantities above and steam for six hours.
• Steam further two hours on day of serving.
• To boil (The more traditional mode of preparing pudding which does give you that 'pudding skin' on the outside) Place pudding mixture in floured pudding cloth (you can use calico), tie securely with string allowing room for pudding to expand during cooking, boil four hours.
• Reboil for two hours on day of serving.
• Note: Breadcrumbs give sufficient substance to this rich pudding- and BOY is it rich!
• -flour is not used.
• Serve with lots of double cream, brandy custard and if you wish to lapse into a sugar coma that will last into the new year, a big dollop of vanilla ice cream!

SPOON BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Scald milk (do not boil).
• Stir in butter, cornmeal and salt.
• Cook stirring constantly.
• Until cornmeal comes away from sides of pan and thickens.
• Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• Add beaten egg yolks.
• Mix throughly.
• Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Mix gently but throughly.
• Pour into greased and floured 2-quart baking dish.
• Bake 1 hour or until top is golden brown.
• Serve immediately.