Mums Christmas Pudding Recipes

MOM'S CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Whisk the milk, granulated sugar, cocoa and cornstarch constantly in a nonreactive medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the cocoa has fully dissolved and the mixture starts to simmer, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a light gravy, 6 to 7 minutes more. Stir in the chopped chocolate, vanilla and a pinch of salt and continue to cook, whisking, until the chocolate has melted and the pudding is thick and creamy, about 2 minutes more. Remove the pudding from the heat, add the butter and stir until the butter has melted.
• Divide the pudding evenly into six 6- to 8-ounce ramekins or glasses. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight until cold and fully set.
• Before serving, pour the cream and confectioners' sugar into a chilled medium bowl. Whip the cream with a whisk or an electric mixer until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Top each pudding with a dollop of whipped cream and chopped-chocolate garnish if using.

MUM'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients, except the eggs, treacle and lemon and orange juice, into your largest bowl with 1 tsp salt, then mix. Add the remaining ingredients along with 700ml water, then mix to a consistency that drops off your spoon. Cover and leave in a cool place overnight. The mixture will become firm.
• The next day, add enough water to bring the mix back to a dropping consistency, then spoon into greased pudding basins - we used a 2 litre and a 1 litre. Cover with pleated greaseproof paper and foil, and secure with string.
• Lower the puddings into a saucepan with upturned saucers or scrunched-up bits of foil in the bottom (so the puds don't touch the bottom), then fill with boiling water from the kettle until it comes halfway up the sides of the bowl. Simmer the smaller pudding for 2-2½ hrs and the larger one for 3-3½ hrs. Cool, wrap well in foil and chill for up to 3 days.

GRANNY MARTIN'S CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Soak the sultanas, currants, figs, mixed peel, cherries and the apricots in the brandy in a bowl overnight if possible or for at least a few hrs (if you don't have time for this, place the fruit in a microwaveable bowl with the brandy and give it a quick blast in the microwave to plump up). In a larger bowl, mix the ginger and syrup, apples, orange juice and zest, eggs, suet, crumbs, sugar and flour. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, mix in the soaked fruit and mixed spice.
• Butter 2 x 1.5-litre pudding basins and divide the mixture between them, filling almost to the rim. Smooth the tops and cover with 2 circles of greaseproof paper. Cover each pudding with a sheet of foil with a folded pleat down the centre, to allow the pudding to expand, and secure everything by tying it tightly with some string. Stand the puddings in a deep, large pan (or 2 if that's easier) on trivets or upturned saucers and pour boiling water around so it comes about a third of the way up. Cover the pan and steam the puddings for 5 hrs, topping up with more boiling water when necessary.
• Let the puddings cool down before removing the foil and greaseproof paper, then cover with cling film over the top and store in a cool, dry place if you aren't using them straight away. This is the time you can drizzle them with more booze in the run-up to Christmas if you have time. To reheat, steam the pudding for 1 hr more before turning out and flaming with hot brandy.

MUM'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Soak fruit in rum overnight.
• Add spices, tea and rinds to fruit mixture.
• Cream butter and sugar, beat eggs and add alternately with flours to butter, sugar mixture then add breadcrumbs.
• Grease a large pudding basin well, fill basin with pudding leaving a little room at top for expansion and cover with double sheet of greaseproof paper well greased then clip on lid, it should fit tightly.
• Steam pudding for 4-5 hrs in large boiler (very large saucepan), with a saucer placed underneath basin, fill with boiling water to come half way up basin - keep adding boiling water as it evaporates. If you put a lid on boiler, don't cover completely, leave space for steam to escape.
• Reheat on Christmas Eve in crockpot 12-14 hrs on low, place upturned saucer under basin, start about 11pm to midnight so it will be ready by lunchtime for Christmas Dinner.
• Take pudding out of basin and serve pudding on a platter with a sprig of holly (artificial) on top and a bowl of hot custard or brandy custard alongside.

MOM'S CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease a 12-cup steamed pudding mold and its lid.
• Stir together plums, crushed gingersnaps, flour, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the pudding. Pour into the prepared pudding mold and cover with the lid. Place the mold on a rack in a deep, 8-quart pot. Add boiling water to halfway up the side of the mold, making sure water does not touch the lid.
• Cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours 45 minutes, adding more boiling water, if necessary. Remove the pudding mold from the pot and cool on a wire rack until pudding pulls away from the side of the mold, about 30 minutes.
• While pudding is cooling, combine sugar, half-and-half, butter, brandy, and corn syrup in a small, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts, and sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Invert pudding onto a platter and serve immediately alongside warm brandy sauce.

GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, almonds, citron, apples, and brandy in a bowl, and allow to sit overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 300°F.
• Butter a 2-qt. pudding mold (or souffle dish).
• Combine the fruit mixture with the remaining ingredients, one at a time. Mix well, and turn into pudding mold and cover tightly with parchment paper secured with cotton string.
• Place a large roasting pan in oven on center rack. Place mold in pan and fill roasting pan with boiling water, halfway up sides of mold. Steam 7 to 8 hours, adding more water if necessary.
• To serve, loosen the side of the pudding with a knife and invert onto a serving platter.
• Serve warm, with your favorite hard sauce. (There are several variations posted here on Zaar).