It's Stir-Up Sunday

kethry

D&DD wrote: »

Is it advisable for the cook to make sure the alcohol is ok before adding to the pud mix *hic* as I can't see straight now...??;)

My Father In Law is going to love this...*staggers off to kitchen*...

D&DD: frequent testing of alcohol, *just* to make sure it hasn't gone off or something nasty, both before and after pudding mix, is not only advisable, but compulsory.

tell you one thing though: the one thing that keeps me from sampling said booze.. the pressure cooker! i hate cooking with the pressure on. Terrified its going to explode or boil dry or something. Mom did that one year. Boiled the xmas pud dry. Apparently the resulting stink took weeks to go...

MeanyMoo wrote:

Kethry - your recipe looks lovely. I like the citrus fruit element, it must smell fab. I might try that recipe next year, especially as you say it keeps so well. For some reason the Porters recipe says it keeps for up to 3 months, which doesn't seem long to me. Maybe the book's just being cautious?

Any ideas which ingredients would make a pudding not keep so well? It has the usual fruit, breadcrumbs, booze, sugar eggs and suet.

it does smell absolutely gorgeous, both while making it and while its cooking. By the time it gets to table (maturation, reheating), the citrus element isn't noticeable, but i think its one of those things you'd soon notice if it was left out, you know?

I don't know why the Porters recipe is so cautious. I understand its a combination of the high sugar content and the long cooking that makes it keep, much like a fruitcake will keep. I'm sure someone cleverer than me will come along and explain it! Anyway, it could be that the Porters recipe doesn't have as high a sugar content / cooked as long as the Rich and Boozy one. Hard to say, as i haven't seen the Porters one.

oh, and if you're in the enviable position of having xmas pud leftovers.. I'm reliably informed by someone who looked everywhere for the (now out of print) book, just for this recipe, then bought it off ebay about a week before i got the OK to post it on my blog from the publishers... (poor guy!) that its absolutely DIVINE if you fry slices of pud gently in melted butter.

And i'm not to blame for anyone who can't get into their jeans, ok?

Hope all that helps!

keth
xx

morwenna

I hope the Porters recipe is wrong about them only keeping for 3 months.. I follow the family tradition of making the pud for next year this year, if you follow me? Apparently Dad always said they had to be kept for 12 months before eating. After 16 years of doing this, I would hate to be proved wrong!!

Oh and Keth? Fried Chrismas pudding has to be served with chilled double cream, so if people can't get into their jeans, they will have to blame me

kethry

morwenna wrote: »

I hope the Porters recipe is wrong about them only keeping for 3 months.. I follow the family tradition of making the pud for next year this year, if you follow me? Apparently Dad always said they had to be kept for 12 months before eating. After 16 years of doing this, I would hate to be proved wrong!!

Oh and Keth? Fried Chrismas pudding has to be served with chilled double cream, so if people can't get into their jeans, they will have to blame me

*chortles*.. sounds like the Porters people are being careful then in that case. I have to be honest, morwenna, the one year we had a christmas pudding from 12 months previous (Mom asked me to do her one extra for an event that never happened) i couldn't honestly taste any difference, either better or worse. That was for "my" recipe though, the Porters one may be different.

As for the double cream: :eek::eek: you are kidding me, right? sounds gorgeous but i can feel my arteries hardening just at the thought..

problem with the jeans... look to morwenna.. ^^^^^^^^.. not me, oh no, i'm innocent..

keth
xx