Downton Abbey Christmas Pudding With Brandy Butter Hard Sauce Food

DOWNTON ABBEY CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BRANDY BUTTER HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• 1) Place all dry ingredients, dried fruit, almonds, apple and citrus zest in a large bowl and stir well. Combine eggs, Guinness and 2 TB brandy in a separate bowl and whisk together. Pour into the mixing bowl and fold in until well combined - it should now have a dropping consistency, but add a little more stout if necessary. Cover and leave overnight to allow the flavours to mingle and the mixture to thicken. 2) Next day, butter a 2 pint pudding basin. Use the basin to trace and cut out two circles of parchment - one the size of the bottom and one the size of the top. Line the bottom with the small circle of paper. Fill the basin with the mixture to about ½ inch from the top and pat down with a wooden spoon. Cover the pudding with the larger circle of parchment, so it is sitting on the mixture. Lay a sheet of foil over the top, doming it slightly to allow the pudding to swell. Tie a piece of string around the bowl, under the rim, to secure the foil in place. 3) Place a pastry cutter or muffin ring in the base of a large pan, and set the pudding on the ring in the bottom of the pan (this ensures the bowl does not crack). Add boiling water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer steadily for 8 hours, adding more boiling water from time to time, as needed. 4) carefully remove the bowl from the pan and cool. 5) When the pudding is cold, wrap in foil and store in a cool, dark place. 6) Before serving, steam the pudding once again for 2 hours. Turn out on to dish and stick a sprig of holly in the centre. Warm brandy, light, and pour it over the pudding. 7) For the hard sauce, Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until pale and smooth. Add the 10X sugar and beat. Add the brandy gradually, to taste, and stir well.cover and store in the fridge until needed. Serve very cold, with the Christmas pudding.

GRAN'S HARD SAUCE FOR CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Soften the butter.
• Combine all ingredients in a blender.

CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• For Brandy Butter:
• Using electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Beat in sugar. Gradually beat in brandy. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• For pudding:
• Mix currants, candied cherries, prunes, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Pour rum over and stir to blend. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Mix breadcrumbs, sugar and flour in medium bowl. Add to dried fruit mixture and stir to blend. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Generously butter 2-quart pudding mold with lid. Mix almonds and baking powder in medium bowl. Whisk melted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla extract and almond extract in large bowl. Stir in almond mixture. Stir butter mixture into dried fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pudding mold. Smooth top. Cover pudding mold with lid.
• Place pudding mold on rack in large pot. Add enough boiling water to pot to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pot and steam pudding over medium-low heat until tester inserted into center comes out clean, adding more boiling water to pot if necessary, about 2 hours. Transfer mold to rack and cool 5 minutes. Turn out pudding. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cool. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate. To reheat pudding, unwrap and return to buttered mold; cover mold. Place mold on rack in large pot. Add enough hot water to pot to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pot and steam pudding over medium-low heat until heated through, about 45 minutes. Transfer mold to rack. Let stand 5 minutes. Turn out pudding.)
• Transfer pudding to platter. Serve warm with brandy butter.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg; add to the creamed mixture alternately with orange and cherry juices, beating well after each addition. Stir in the fruit mixture., Pour into two well-greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Cover with foil. Place on a rack in each of two stockpots. Add 2 in. of boiling water to each stockpot; cover and boil gently for 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, adding water as needed. Let stand for 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, egg yolk, half-and-half and salt. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Cool to room temperature., In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream and brandy into brown sugar mixture. Serve with pudding.