Christmas Parsons Pudding Food

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• The day before you want to steam the pudding: In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the suet, brown sugar, sifted flour, breadcrumbs, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gradually mix in the currants, sultanas, raisins, candied peel, and almonds, followed by the apple and citrus zests. In a small bowl, whisk together the rum, barley wine, and stout, and then beat in the eggs. Pour this mixture over the dried fruit and nut mixture. Mix thoroughly. It should be somewhat loose; if it needs a little more liquid, add some stout. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• The following day: Butter a 1-pint pudding mold and pack the pudding mixture into it. Cover with a double piece of parchment and a sheet of foil and tie securely with a string across the top to make a handle. Place the pudding mold in a covered steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water, and steam for 8 hours. Check the water level, adding boiling water as needed. When the pudding is finished, let it cool and then remove the papers and foil. Replace with fresh paper and make a new string for easier maneuvering. Set in a cool place away from light (under the bed works well).
• To reheat, set a saucepan with boiling water over medium heat and put a steamer on top. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, set the pudding in the steamer, cover, and let steam for 2 1/4 hours. Top up the water a bit if necessary.
• To serve, remove the pudding from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a palette knife around the pudding, and then turn it out onto a warm plate. Garnish with a sprig of holly. To flambe the pudding, warm a ladleful of brandy over direct heat, and when it is hot, carefully light the brandy. Place the flaming ladle over the pudding, but do not pour until at the table. When you do slowly pour it over the pudding, sides and all, watch it flame! Serve with rum sauce if desired.
• This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

CHRISTMAS PARSON'S PUDDING

Steps:

• Mix above together with nuts and dates as desired.
• (I usually use about a cup of chopped pecans and a cup of chopped dates - use more or less according to your own tastes) Pour pudding mix into a can or mold and steam for 3 hours.
• When done, it is cake-like in texture. For the sauce: 2/3 cup butter mixed with 1 1/2 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp boiling water.
• Beat in 3 (very fresh) egg yolks.
• Add beaten whites last. Flavor with vanilla (about 1/2 tsp - again, to your own taste) Serve the sauce with the Pudding.
• Some people also like a "hard sauce" (brandy-flavored) on their pudding.

MUM'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Soak fruit in rum overnight.
• Add spices, tea and rinds to fruit mixture.
• Cream butter and sugar, beat eggs and add alternately with flours to butter, sugar mixture then add breadcrumbs.
• Grease a large pudding basin well, fill basin with pudding leaving a little room at top for expansion and cover with double sheet of greaseproof paper well greased then clip on lid, it should fit tightly.
• Steam pudding for 4-5 hrs in large boiler (very large saucepan), with a saucer placed underneath basin, fill with boiling water to come half way up basin - keep adding boiling water as it evaporates. If you put a lid on boiler, don't cover completely, leave space for steam to escape.
• Reheat on Christmas Eve in crockpot 12-14 hrs on low, place upturned saucer under basin, start about 11pm to midnight so it will be ready by lunchtime for Christmas Dinner.
• Take pudding out of basin and serve pudding on a platter with a sprig of holly (artificial) on top and a bowl of hot custard or brandy custard alongside.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Mix the dried fruits with the lemon and orange zest and juice in a large bowl. Leave for 10-12 hours to soak.
• In a separate large bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until smooth. Stir in the eggs until combined. Add the breadcrumbs, flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice and stir together until just combined.
• Pour the contents of the dried fruit bowl into the batter and gently mix to combine.
• Pour into a greased 6-cup pudding basin (or a heatproof mixing bowl). Cover with a piece of baking paper and secure around the top with cooking twine. Lower into a large pot half-filled with simmering water. Cover the pot and leave on the stove to simmer, steaming the pudding, for 5 hours. Keep an eye on it as it steams, topping it up with more water as needed.
• Leave to cool then store in a cool part of the house for up to 7 days. When you're ready to eat it, just steam again for 1 hour. Tip out onto a serving platter and serve warm with whipped cream.