 |
Traditional Christmas pudding is perfect for
Christmas celebration. It's a light sponge pudding which contains
mincemeat, chopped apple and mace so that the Christmassy flavor is
there, plus, with an attractive arrangement of whole candied peel,
it looks very pretty when its turned out. It will serve perfect for
your Christmas dessert.
Ingredients :
- 4 oz. butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 1 piece candied citron peel
- 2 piece whole candied orange peel
- 2 pieces whole candied lemon peel
- 4 oz soft light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 6 oz. self rising flour, sifted
- 1/3 level teaspoon ground mace
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Grated zest 1 small lemon
- Grated zest 1 orange
- Medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped small
- 3 rounded tablespoons mincemeat
- You will also need a 2 pint pudding basin - the rounded-based
sort is best.
Method :
- Prepare the basin by buttering it lightly and arranging the
candied peel in the base. Snip the citron peel into 1/2 inch
strips and arrange these in an overlapping circle in the center
of the base of the basin; you need something that resembles a
flower. Then, using a sharp pair of scissors, snip the whole
candied peels lengthways into strips, but leaving the end
intact. Imagine five fingers attached to a hand and you've got
it. Now arrange these around the 'flower', spreading out the
strips as much as possible.
- Now, for the pudding, simply beat the sugar and butter with
an electric hand whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy and
drops off a spoon easily with a sharp tap. Then beat the eggs in
a jug and add these a tiny amount at a time, whisking well after
each addition. When all the liquid egg is incorporated,
carefully fold in the sifted flour, mace and salt, followed by
the lemon juice, grated lemon and orange zest, chopped apple and
finally the mincemeat.
- Spoon the mixture into the basin, being careful to leave your
artistic arrangement intact. Tie a double piece of pleated foil
on to the basin; place it in a steamer over boiling water and
steam for 2-1/2 hours.
- When the pudding is completely cold you can turn it out, wrap
it well and freeze until needed.
- Take it out of the freezer late on Christmas Eve and re-steam
on Christmas Day for 1-1/2 hours. Serve cut in slices with Hot
Punch Sauce.
|
|
