Christmas Pudding

LadyBelle

LadyBelle

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Joined
2 Mar 2017
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2:53 PM
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Location
Wales - the Welsh bit
I am a week late for Stir Up Sunday but today I made Christmas Puddings. It got me wondering if anyone else spends hours steaming puddings for the big day?

Are you a traditionalist (13 ingredients)?
Do you have any rituals? Do you include a coin/charm? Is it a family recipe handed down?

I do stick to 13 ingredients and include a foil wrapped shilling. I also make everyone whose in the house give the mixture a stir for luck. I however now use my slow cooker to take the pain out of the steaming! So much easier and means I don’t need to remember to top the water up.

On Christmas Day the pudding is set alight at the table (with all the lights turned off for maximum effect) and there’s a spread of brandy butter, brandy sauce or cream to smoother all over it.

I use Nigel Slater’s recipe which is definitely the best one I’ve tried so have stuck to that for the last five years or so. I usually make quite a few and gift to my Sister in Law, and a few family friends.

I must admit it wasn’t until a few years ago that I did start to enjoy Christmas pudding. Perhaps it’s a sign I’m officially a grown up. I would love a Fortunm & Masons pudding one day, even though I like the ritual of making my own.
 
My Mum used to make Christmas puddings every year, enough to give some to members of the family who had got married and moved away. Some even used to be sent to my friends in Austria, as there weren't so many restrictions in those days about exporting/importing food. I don't make them though. In spite of the fact that I'm quite capable of making them, it doesn't seem worth it for just me and my daughter (the other members of her family are not keen), so I buy mine from the supermarket. I do keep them till the following year as even supermarket ones seem to improve with age.
 
TBH some of the supermarket ones are so excellent (especially if you stab them all over and soak in some brandy before cooking) that it doesn't seem worth the time and cost of ingredients to make my own. I doubt anyone would notice the difference if I made one myself. However, I guess it could be quite fun to make one - maybe I will do it this year.
 
My parents and In-Laws buy a King´s Ring or Roscon de Los Reyes for my grandsons.

It is quite a laborious tart to prepare for January 6th, the Ephiphany. We will be travelling out of Spain for 8 days 7 nights .. This tart has some toys and coins stuffed in it in special papers. Very traditional here in Spain ..

For the 24th, 25th and 31st, and 1st: For the 24th, my mom and mom in law prepare a Traditional Tiramisú.

The rest of the holiday season, there is turrón (nuggat) and Sprungli Swiss Black Chocolates of varying types and one of my daughter in laws prepares some classic traditional Catalan sweets / desserts ..

That is all .. We personally prefer a cheese board with fruit predominately as our ending to a lovely meal and do not eat alot of sweets ..
 
There is definitely something about having a Christmas pudding to round off a Christmas meal. How on earth we can manage to eat something so rich after all that meat, sauces and stuffings (and Brussels sprouts!) is beyond me, but manage we do. And of course in the evening there is all the sliced cold meat and pickles, followed by Christmas cake and other sweet items.

BTW I prefer my Christmas pudding with cream or good old-fashioned custard. :D
 
We have bought a cognac lased pud from Sainsburys which we will serve with vanilla custard :hungry:
 
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