Traditional English plum pudding
Source of Recipe
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Recipe Introduction
Note: This recipe was given to Bruce Kraig by John and Betty Ewins of
Kew
Gardens in England
List of Ingredients
1/2 cup mixed candied citrus peel
1/2 pound each: raisins, golden raisins, currants
1 cup plus 1 tsp. flour
2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each: baking powder, ground allspice, ground nutmeg
1/2 pound white bread, torn into small crumbs
1/2 pound apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1/2 pound beef suet or butter, melted
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
4 ounces fresh cranberries
3 ounces blanched almonds, coarsely chopped or slivered
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup plus more dark rum or brandy
Hard sauce (recipe follows), or whipped cream
Recipe
1. Place peel, raisins and currants in medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of
the
flour. Toss to coat with flour. Combine remaining 1 cup flour,
cinnamon,
baking powder, allspice and nutmeg in large bowl. Add peel mixture to
flour
mixture.
2. Add bread to food processor container; pulse until medium crumbs.
Add to
flour mixture with apple, suet, brown sugar, cranberries, almonds and
lemon
zest. Mix well. Mix in eggs and rum. Cover; store in refrigerator
overnight.
3. Place mixture in greased 2 1/2-quart pudding mold or large
heat-proof
bowl. Cover with lid or layers of cheesecloth tied around outside rim
with
string.
4. Place mold on trivet or plate set on bottom of deep stockpot or
kettle.
Fill pot with water that comes halfway up sides of mold. Cover
stockpot.
Heat water to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cook until knife inserted in
center comes out clean, about two hours. Replace water as it
evaporates.
Remove from heat; cool. Unmold cooled pudding onto plate. Wrap pudding
in
layers of cheesecloth; sprinkle well with more rum. Wrap in plastic
wrap;
store in refrigerator up to three weeks. Occasionally unwrap plastic;
sprinkle with rum. Wrap. To serve, slice into wedges. Serve with hard
sauce
or whipped cream.
Hard sauce: Combine 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) softened butter, 3/4 cup
confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup brandy (or to taste) and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
in
medium bowl. Beat until fluffy. Chill in refrigerator about one hour.
Nutrition information per serving (without hard sauce):
500 calories; 19 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 55 mg. cholesterol;
120
mg. sodium; 78 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 4 grams fiber.
Bruce Kraig is a culinary historian and professor of history at
Roosevelt
University in Chicago.
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