Give your family and friends a real surprise and make this old English pudding for Christmas. Cover it with Grand Marnier Icing, and dot it with candied orange peel.

For years I’ve had two very nice pudding molds. For years, the molds have traveled with me through each move I’ve made from South to North and back. Oh yes, you must come back.  Now, after years of moving the molds around, I’ve finally made a Christmas Plum Pudding that I have to say was very easy and delicious. In fact, it was good to the very last bite.

The last bite.

The original recipe must be credited to the Southern Living Country Cooking book, published in 1974. I’ve made a few changes to suit me, and to make it more modern. So, don’t panic when you see suet. Butter is the perfect substitute. You can also change the candied fruit to incorporate your favorites, instead of the usual fruitcake candied fruit, although  I happen to love fruitcake. But, this is a recipe where you can suit yourself. I’ve added extra instructions to the recipe. Hope it helps.

Christmas Plum Pudding

1 cup seedless raisins

1 1/2 cups mixed diced candied fruits (I used one  4-ounce container of candied, chopped orange peel and the rest in chopped dates)

1/2 cup toasted pecans ( I toasted the pecans on a plate in the microwave for 1 -1/2 minutes, cooled and chopped)

1 cup all-purpose flour, read recipe for dividing between nuts and batter

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup molasses (I used Grandma’s Original)

3/4 cup cold buttermilk

1/2 cup finely chopped suet (substitute finely chopped butter, but keep it cold. It will melt in the pudding-never use margarine in baking)

1/4 cup cold strong coffee

1 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs (I used panko, and if you need to, crush them with the back of a measuring cup)

3/4 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (grate fresh if you have it)

3/4 teaspoon salt

Use a 1 1/2 quart pudding mold, or a heavy bowl that is heat proof. Butter the mold and then spray heavily with a baking spray that has flour added. I used Bakers Joy.

In a large bowl, combine fruits, pecans, and 1/2 cup flour. In the second bowl, mix together eggs, molasses, buttermilk, suet (butter chopped fine) and coffee. In a third  bowl, combine remaining flour, breadcrumbs, soda, spices, salt and add to the buttermilk, molasses mixture. Add this mixture to the fruit and nuts and mix well. Pour this mixture into the prepared mold. Use a piece of parchment that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, and place that over the pudding in the mold. Pull it down around the sides and secure with a rubber band or string, just below the rim of the mold. Cut off any excess paper. Add the top of the mold and secure it. Set the pudding mold on a rack in a deep pan* see notes below  (use a saucer if you don’t have a rack); add boiling water to about 1 inch below the cover of the mold. Cover with the pot cover. Steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

When the pudding is done, remove from the pot and set aside for about 10 minutes in the mold, and then unmold onto to a piece of parchment paper over a plate. This will allow you to cool the pudding so that it can be placed on a more decorative plate. Cool. Make icing, or use it as a hard sauce. If all pudding is not used, store in the refrigerator.

Grand Marnier Icing

4 tablespoons very soft butter

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Grand Marnier

In a small bowl, add the sugar to soft butter. Mix. Add enough Grand Marnier to make it the consistency to ice the pudding, or use as a hard sauce. If icing gets too thick, microwave for few seconds at a time. Sprinkle the finished pudding with pecans, or dried fruit.

 I used my spaghetti pot to hold and cook the mold. It’s very deep and has a draining pot for spaghetti. I set the mold down on the drainer and I can lift the mold in and out by the drainer handles. I also put water in the pot and started heating it before I added the drainer with the mold. After setting the mold in, I filled with water according to directions. I steamed for 1 1/2 hours at a medium heat. I added extra water once. When the time was up, I removed the mold from the drainer, and checked for doneness. Take the mold top off, and then the parchment, and use a long skewer to check to see if it has cooked through. If not done, then use a fresh piece of prepared parchment and secure it the same way as the first time. Put the mold lid back on and continue cooking until done.

 I am wishing you all a wonderful, merry, happy, sweet holiday.

Love,

Linda