New England Christmas Pudding Food

NEW ENGLAND CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a pudding mold well with extra butter and dust with flour. Cover top with large piece of greased foil an fold snugly over sides of mold to keep steam out. Remember to leave some slack in foil because pudding will need room to expand.
• Mix together breadcrumbs, Craisins, molasses and melted butter. Combine baking soda and water and add to crumb mixture; mix well.
• Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Stir into crumb mixture. Pour mixture into greased pudding mold.
• Place mold on rack in steamer or large pot. Add boiling water to halfway up sides of pudding mold. Cover and steam for 2 hours or until firm to touch.

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.

BRITISH CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the dried fruit, candied peel, apple, and orange and lemon zests and juices into a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate for a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
• Lightly butter a 2 1/2 pint pudding basin.
• In a very large mixing bowl, stir the flour, mixed spice, and cinnamon together. Add the suet, sugar, breadcrumbs, and almonds, and stir again until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the marinated dried fruits and stir again.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then stir quickly into the dry ingredients. The mixture should have a fairly soft consistency.
• Spoon the mixture into the greased pudding basin, gently pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, then a layer of aluminum foil. Tie securely with string, wrapping the string around the basin, then loop over the top and then around the bowl again. This will form a handle, which will be useful when removing the pudding from the steamer.
• Set a steamer over a saucepan of simmering water, place the pudding in the steamer, and steam the pudding for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently, so it never boils dry. The pudding should be a dark brown color when cooked.
• Remove the pudding from the steamer and cool completely. Remove the paper, prick the pudding with a skewer in a few places, and pour in a little extra brandy.
• Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and retie with string.
• Store for at least 4 to 5 weeks in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day. On Christmas Day, reheat the pudding by steaming again for about an hour. Enjoy!

NEW ENGLAND PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine drained pineapple and diced apples.
• Put into a 9-inch square pan.
• Mix walnuts and brown sugar together and spread over fruit.
• Beat eggs until thick and blend in flour and sugar.
• Add melted butter and mix thoroughly.
• Spread batter over the sugar and walnuts, making sure that mixture does not touch fruit mixture underneath.
• Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until golden brown.
• It's done when poked and no butter flows underneath.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.

THE OLD MANOR HOUSE TRADITIONAL VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Mix all the dried fruit together, and then add the citrus peel, flaked almonds, spices, ground almonds and salt - blend thoroughly.
• Work in the breadcrumbs, sugar and softened butter, mixing well.
• Stir the beaten eggs into the mixture and then gradually add the brandy or rum and the stout. Mix thoroughly until a soft dropping consistency has been achieved.
• Butter two large (2 pint) pudding bowls and spoon half the mixture into each bowl - smoothing down the surface slightly.
• Cover with greaseproof paper and muslin pudding cloths or aluminum foil, and tie them down around the rims, making a loop for a handle to lift the pudding basins out of the steamer later!
• Boil the puddings in an open pan or in a steamer for 6 hours - making sure that the water is topped up when necessary.
• You can also steam these puddings in a pressure cooker - please follow your manufacturer's instructions.
• Remove the greaseproof paper, cloths/ aluminum foil and cover with fresh greaseproof paper and a clean pudding cloth or foil.
• Store in a cool place for up to 2 months, although I have kept these puddings for nearly a year!
• On Christmas day, boil or steam for a further 4 hours.
• To flame the puddings: Turn out the puddings onto a plate. Heat up a tablespoon or two of brandy in a small saucepan until it is warm but NOT boiling, and then pour the hot brandy into a ladle - take the pudding to the table with the ladle and light the ladle with a match - BE CAREFUL! Pour the burning brandy over the pudding and remember to turn the lights out for maximum ooohs and ahhhhs!
• Serve with Brandy Butter, Rum Sauce, Custard or Cream. Don't forget the sprig of holly too!
• Each pudding serves 6 to 8 people.

THE QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Select a heat-proof bowl of any size or shape and generously grease with butter.
• Combine dates, apricots, currants, raisins, cranberries, ginger, whiskey, orange zest, and orange juice in a mixing bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine.
• Pour in melted butter and stir until everything is evenly coated. Mix in egg, heavy cream, and buttermilk. Add salt, pecans, bread crumbs, and flour and mix until batter is very thick and sticky.
• Transfer dough to the prepared bowl and press it down to flatten with a spatula. Place a circle of parchment paper over the top and press down to seal. Stretch 2 pieces of plastic wrap over the bowl, then place the bowl on a third piece of plastic wrap. Bring the ends up and over the bowl and seal tightly. Cover the bowl with 2 pieces of foil, then tie a piece of string around and secure tightly.
• Place in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
• Lay rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Place the wrapped pudding on the rosemary sprigs and fill the Dutch oven halfway with water.
• Place over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce heat to medium and steam, covered, for 4 hours, checking every hour to see if you need to add more water.
• Use kitchen towels and carefully lift the pudding out of the Dutch oven. Snip the string, take off the foil, remove the plastic wrap, and peel off the parchment. Place a plate over the bowl and invert the pudding to unmold.
• Brush maple syrup over top. Cut and serve immediately.