Traditional Christmas Pudding

Recipe's preparation

Method

1) Soak Dried Mixed Fruit, Glace Cherries in Bundaberg rum overnight. (you can opt to not add any rum)

2) Add eggs & Brown sugar to bowl - 20 sec on Sp 4.

3) Add cream & bi-carb of soda - 3 min on Sp 4.

4) Add Nutmeg, vanilla essenc, soaked fruit mix and walnuts - 1 min on "Counter-clockwise operation"  Sp 3, using spatula to assist with mixing.

5) Add 330 grams of the flour - 30 sec on "Counter-clockwise operation" Sp 4, using spatula to assist with mixing.

6) Add remaining flour - 30 sec on "Counter-clockwise operation" Sp 4, using spatula to assist with mixing.

7) Ensure all ingredients are mixed adequately.

 

Preparing the pudding





First you will need approx 1 metre of unbleached calico.

For the first time you use the calico, you will need to boil it for a few minutes.

Each time you use it after that, you only need to dunk the calico in boiling water after that.

Using a very large deep pot (approximately 8 litres) fill 3/4 with water and bring to the boil. #Best to do this step prior to starting mixing all the ingredients# 

Flour the cloth after dunking it in boiling water, make sure the entire area that will have pudding on it is coated but don't make it too thick or you will have flour lumps on the pudding when you are finished.

Spoon the mixture onto the floured surface, bundle up edges of the cloth and tie firmly (use a piece of string or a strip of calico). Put a spoonful of flour in the top where there is a hole to plug it up.

Slowly and carefully (do not burn yourself with the water, holding the tail of the calico) dunk the pudding in the boiling water a few times then let it sit in the pot with the lid on, have the water continuously boiling for 4 hours. You may need to top up the water from time to time with boiled water from the kettle, as it is essential that the pudding doesn't touch the bottom of the pot.

Let the pudding hang to dry for 12-24 hours. I do this by tying the tail to a clothes airer.

Traditionally to take the pudding out of the bag using the same large pot fill 3/4 with water, bringing it to the boil and again being careful slowly lower into the pot - let boil for 30 mins then remove and place on tea towel after 10 minutes remove string and gently peel the calico off leaving the pudding.

Serve with custard, ice cream or on its own.