Plum And Berry Summer Puddings Food

PEACH AND BERRY SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine the strawberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 half-pints of the raspberries and all of the blueberries and peaches and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise.
• Slice the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices and remove the crusts. In the bottom of a 7 1/2-inch round by 3-inch high soufflé or baking dish, ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooked fruit mixture. Arrange slices of bread on top in a pattern (this will become the top when the pudding is unmolded) and then add more fruit mixture to saturate. Continue adding bread, cutting it to fit the mold, and fruit. Finish with bread and cooked fruit, using all of the fruit and syrup.
• Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pudding. Find a plate approximately the same diameter as the inside of the mold and place it on top. Weight the mold with a heavy can and refrigerate overnight.
• Just before serving, run a knife around the outside of the pudding and unmold it upside down onto a serving plate. Serve in wedges with whipped cream.
• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Serve cold.

SUPERB ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Blend the fruits, citron, peel, spices and suet and place in a bowl or jar. Add 1/4 cup cognac, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 days, adding 1/4 cup cognac each day.
• Soak the bread crumbs in milk and sherry or port. Combine the well-beaten eggs and sugar. Blend with the fruit mixture. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Put the pudding in buttered bowls or tins, filling them about 2/3 full. Cover with foil and tie it firmly. Steam for 6-7 hours. Uncover and place in a 250°F. oven for 30 minutes. Add a dash of cognac to each pudding, cover with foil and keep in a cool place.
• To use, steam again for 2-3 hours and unmold. Sprinkle with sugar; add heated cognac. Ignite and bring to the table. Serve with hard sauce or cognac sauce.

PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a 2 quart baking dish, stir together plums, 1 cup sugar, water, tapioca and cinnamon. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. (You can also cook the plum mixture in the microwave for 15 minutes.)
• Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together baking mix, 3 tablespoons sugar, milk and melted margarine to form a biscuit dough. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto plum mixture. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.

TINY TIM'S PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease an 8-cup pudding mold, metal gelatin mold or ovenproof bowl; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in plums, dates, raisins, carrots and currants., Transfer to prepared pudding mold. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil; tie foil with kitchen string to secure., Place on a rack in a stockpot; add 3 in. hot water to pot. Bring water to a gentle boil; steam cake, covered, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Remove pudding from pot; let stand 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat hard sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; serve warm with sauce.

PLUM & ALMOND PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Toss the plums, cinnamon, lemon zest and brandy, if using, together in a bowl, then leave to macerate while you make the batter.
• Cream the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time, then tip in the flour and ground almonds. Mix until completely combined.
• Tip the fruit into a buttered shallow baking dish, spoon over the cake batter, then sprinkle over the flaked almonds. Bake for 35-40 mins until browned and cooked through. Test if the pudding is ready by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, the pudding is ready; if there is some batter on the skewer, then give it a few mins more. Remove from the oven and serve warm with clotted cream.

SUMMER PUDDING

Steps:

• Bring out the juices: Wash fruit and gently dry on kitchen paper - keep strawberries separate. Put sugar and 3 tbsp water into a large pan. Gently heat until sugar dissolves - stir a few times. Bring to a boil for 1 min, then tip in the fruit (not strawberries). Cook for 3 mins over a low heat, stirring 2-3 times. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.
• Line the bowl with cling film and prepare the bread: Line the 1.25-litre basin with cling film as this will help you to turn out the pudding. Overlap two pieces of cling film in the middle of the bowl as it's easier than trying to get one sheet to stick to all of the curves. Let the edges overhang by about 15cm. Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut 4 pieces of bread in half, a little on an angle, to give 2 lopsided rectangles per piece. Cut 2 slices into 4 triangles each and leave the final piece whole.
• Build the pud: Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few secs just to coat. Push this into the bottom of the basin. Now dip the wonky rectangular pieces one at a time and press around the basin's sides so that they fit together neatly, alternately placing wide and narrow ends up. If you can't quite fit the last piece of bread in it doesn't matter, just trim into a triangle, dip in juice and slot in. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you go.
• Let flavours mingle then serve: Dip the bread triangles in juice and place on top - trim off overhang with scissors. Keep leftover juice for later. Bring cling film up and loosely seal. Put a side plate on top and weight down with cans. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight. To serve, open out cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over. serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.