Christmas Puddings

In which stir-up Sunday comes early and on the wrong day of the week...

Although I realise stir-up Sunday is later than this week (and that I made these on a Monday night), it is always good to make your puddings early so that you can top them up with lots of of brandy (feeding the pudding.) Also I always used to make Christmas puddings on Remembrance Day with my school choir.

My mum has always made the best Christmas pudding (as far as i'm concerned) and here is the recipe. This recipe is designed for a Slow cooker.

Apologies to members of CAOS expecting a recipe for tonight's cake but the recipe for mincemeat tart is:

1. Obtain mincemeat and pastry.

2. Place pastry in dish.

3. Fill with mincemeat.

4. Bake.

UPDATE: Mincemeat tarts came out like this :)

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Mincemeat Tart

Ingredients

• 50g plain flour

• pinch of salt

• 2 teaspoons mixed spice

• 100g currants

• 100g sultanas

• 100g raisins

• 100g mixed peel

• 100g shredded suet

• 100g soft brown sugar

• 100g fine white breadcrumbs

• 50g chopped blanched almonds*

• grated rind of 1 lemon

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 2x15ml spoons black treacle

• 1x15ml spoon brandy

• a little stout/ale or milk for mixing†

*The nuts are really important, it's what makes this pudding that bit better than anyone elses :P

†I change the stout every year, this year I went for Marston's Oyster Stout

How-To

1. Sieve together flour, salt and spice, add all dry ingredients and mix well.

2. Add eggs, brandy and treacle with enough liquid to make a soft clinging mixture.

3. Divide between 2 greased basins, leaving about 1 cm headspace.

4. Cover with a double thickness of greased greaseproof paper or tinfoil.

5. Put basins in a slow cooker and pour 1 pint of hot water around them.

6. Heat on high for 1 hour then low for 12 hours or alternatively on high for 7 hours.

7. To reheat: heat on high for 3 hours.

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In the slowcooker

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Almost done!

It's double recipe week this week as on Thursday there is the World Famous ManSSAGO Pudding Party!* Stay tuned on Thursday for the desserts and the recipe!

*May not be actually famous worldwide!

Tom Out!

Wilkinson Family Fruitcake

My Grandma's old fruit cake recipe - simple and tasty!

Ingredients*

• 16 oz (450 g) self raising flour
• 8 oz (225 g) caster sugar
• 8 oz (225 g) margarine
• 4 medium eggs
• 24 oz (675 g) mixed fruit
• 2 tsp (10 ml) Mixed spice
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla essence
• Milk

*This makes a double sized cake suitable for feeding the Choir & Orchestra. Half these quantities for a normal loaf tin :)

How-to

1. Preheat oven to ~160°C
2. Sieve the flour and mixed spice together into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the remaining dry ingredients.
4. Mix thoroughly.
5. Melt marge in a saucepan.
6. Add to dry ingredients.
7. Mix thoroughly.
8. Add vanilla essence and eggs.
9. Mix thoroughly.
10. Add milk if necessary to achieve a good consistency.
11. Place in a large, greased loaf tin.
12. Bake for ~2 hours.*

*You'll need to use your skill and judgement depending on your own oven. I tend to check after 90 minutes and adjust times accordingly.

Wilkinson Family Fruitcake

Tom Out!