There has always been a pudding on the table at our Aussie Christmas gatherings. It's just not Christmas without one! The dried fruit soaking for a day (or perhaps many days because there were other things to do) is a sign that Christmas is coming, eventually. Because this kind of pudding is made a good month or so ahead. And once it is cooked, now and then open the covering a little and inhale the spicy fruity goodness.
American friends, this is not what you think of as a pudding. To translate it, you could call it a steamed fruit cake (one that you want to keep, not re-gift) that is served hot, with ice-cream, perhaps a brandy sauce, or all of the above. If you want to go all the way, set the thing on fire with brandy! You think I'm joking.
The traditional method of making a pudding involves boiling the pudding inside a floured cloth. However there's a risk that the water will get through and all you have is a soggy mess. This is the 'modern' method, circa 1970's.
This is the kind of pudding that inspires songs, so I will bring you the figgy pudding, right now...
Christmas Pudding (for USA ingredient availability)
1&1/2 lb (750g) mixed dried fruit. i.e. mostly raisins, golden raisins, figs would work, and a handful of cranberries, candied ginger is a great addition. Whatever sounds good to you.
6 tablespoons rum or brandy
8oz (250g) butter, room temperature
Extra butter for greasing, about 2 tablespoons worth.
8oz (250g) brown sugar or coconut sugar
grated rind of 2 oranges and 2 lemons
10 drops total, orange and lemon essential oil, optional. (EDIBLE QUALITY ONLY, e.g. Young Living brand.)
4 eggs, room temperature
2oz (60g) slivered almonds
1 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (AUS bicarb soda)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each; nutmeg, ginger, cloves (Or, 'pumpkin spice' is kind of the same thing)
4oz (125g) soft breadcrumbs (i.e. a slice or two torn up and whizzed to crumbs in a food processor. One of those little combo immersion blender / mini food processors will do the job. And many other jobs! Get one.)
Cooking vessels are important in mixing up your pud. You need a large crock pot. Also a pudding bowl, one that is dome shaped and will fit inside the crock pot. Or, I have seen pudding made in mason jars, but be sure to cook the puddings with the LID OFF and covered as described below. I don't want you to have an explosion on your hands.
STAGE ONE - soak the fruit
Roughly chop all the dried fruit, smallish. Mix through your rum or brandy, cover and leave to infuse overnight. If you don't get to it until days later, nothing bad will happen.
STAGE TWO - mix the pudding.
Get your butter and eggs to room temperature. Put the eggs in a bowl of hot water. Ideally, leave the butter out for 30min, or warm it for just a moment. Don't melt it!
Sift together the flour, baking soda and spices. Stir in the breadcrumbs and set this aside.
Add the slivered almonds to your tipsy dried fruit mix.
Melt some extra butter and generously grease your pudding bowl. Cut a circle of parchment paper and place at the bottom of your bowl, greased both sides.
Beat the butter, sugar and citrus rind until creamy, by hand or with and electric mixer.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Add half the fruit & nut mix and half the flour mix. Stir well.
Add the remaining flour and fruit. Stir again.
Scrape your mixture into the greased and lined pudding bowl.
Cut another circle of greaseproof paper to cover the top of your pudding.
My circa 1970's recipe says to cover the pudding again with a pudding cloth, scalded and floured, tied with a string. My other job is in fashion, so I do have fabric lying around. If you don't, I'd say foil would work just as well.
OK, your pudding is mixed!
STAGE 3 - cook the pud.
Place your pudding bowl into the croc pot and then pour water into the croc pot to reach half way up the side of your bowl. Cook for six hours on low temp. Remove when cool to touch.
STAGE 4 - waiting waiting...
Your pudding is best made about a month before.
STAGE 5 - serving
To serve the pud in all it's Anglo glory, you can warm it in the crock pot (up to 2 hours!) tip it out onto a plate. Warm a little brandy in a saucepan, set a match to it and pour the flaming brandy over the pudding. Or, I may post a non-flaming brandy sauce later.
If you don't want to warm the whole thing (because there's probably a good 20 servings in there) you can cut out as much as you need, wrap it in foil and warm in a steamer.
You'll want some ice-cream or cream with this, because it's mega-rich $$$
No need to rush. Your pudding will keep well for many months.
