Grandmas Christmas Pudding Food

GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, almonds, citron, apples, and brandy in a bowl, and allow to sit overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 300°F.
• Butter a 2-qt. pudding mold (or souffle dish).
• Combine the fruit mixture with the remaining ingredients, one at a time. Mix well, and turn into pudding mold and cover tightly with parchment paper secured with cotton string.
• Place a large roasting pan in oven on center rack. Place mold in pan and fill roasting pan with boiling water, halfway up sides of mold. Steam 7 to 8 hours, adding more water if necessary.
• To serve, loosen the side of the pudding with a knife and invert onto a serving platter.
• Serve warm, with your favorite hard sauce. (There are several variations posted here on Zaar).

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a 1.5 litre pudding bowl with butter.
• Destone your dates, then, by hand or in a food processor, finely chop the flesh with the apricots, pecans, ginger and rosemary leaves. Place it all in a mixing bowl with the cranberries, raisins, suet, flour, breadcrumbs and milk. Crack in the egg, finely grate in the clementine zest, squeeze in the juice and mix it all together really well.
• Tip the mixture into the greased bowl and cover with a single layer of greaseproof paper and a double layer of tin foil. Tie a piece of string around the bowl to secure them in place and make it watertight, then sit it in a large, deep saucepan and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl.
• Bring the water to the boil, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce to a simmer for 4 hours. Check the water regularly, and keep topping it up with boiling water, if needed.
• When the time's up, lift out the bowl, remove the foil and paper, then carefully turn the pudding out on to a plate ready to serve, or leave to cool and reheat just before you need it.
• You can either drizzle it with golden syrup and a swig of Bourbon - gorgeous - or be a bit more flamboyant and gently heat a good few swigs of Bourbon just to warm it, then strike a match to the pan (stand back!), let it flame, and carefully pour it over your pudding.
• Present it to your guests and sing some Christmassy songs, then when the flame subsides drizzle with golden syrup. Serve with cream, custard or even ice cream.