Gerade ist doch erst der schöne Sommer vorbei, und schon naht Weihnachten. Wie wäre es da mit einem original englischen Christmas Pudding? Die viel.-Redaktion fragte Dr. Fiona Bubbers aus dem Zentrum für Sprache und Interkulturelle Kompetenz der FH Kiel, wie man diese Spezialität aus Great Britain eigentlich zubereitet.
Traditionally, objects were put into the mixture, such as coins, thimbles and rings; these were supposed to bring luck, wealth, marriage etc. to the person who found the object in their portion. However, biting on such objects is not such a good idea, since teeth can be broken, so this tradition has been discontinued.
This is a simplified version of the Christmas pudding recipe used by my father every year. (He leaves the fruit to marinate for several weeks before making the pudding, thus adding to its potency.)
Ingredients
- 1lb (450g) dried mixed fruit (a mixture of raisins, sultanas, currants; also any or all of dried apricots, glacé cherries, dried figs, (stem) ginger, other similar fruits)
- 5fl oz (150ml) brandy or rum
- 3oz (75g) softened butter
- 3oz (75g) muscovado sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4oz (100g) self-raising flour (= flour with added baking powder)
- 1tsp (= teaspoon) mixed spice
You will need a 2.5 pint (1.4l) pudding basin, baking parchment paper and string.
Method
- Mix the dried fruit with the alcohol and leave to marinate over night or longer. Stir occasionally.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour if the mixture begins to curdle.
- Sift together the flour and the mixed spice, then fold carefully into the creamed mixture.
- Add the soaked dried fruits with their liquid and stir well.
- Butter the pudding basin. Cut out a circle of parchment paper and fit this into the base of the basin.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared basin and press down with the back of a spoon.
- Cover the basin with a layer of parchment paper, pleated across the middle to allow for expansion. Tie securely with string.
- Place the pudding on top of an upside-down saucer in a pot of boiling water (half way up the basin); simmer for 7-8 hours. Top up the water as necessary.
Put the Christmas pudding in a cool, dry place until Christmas.
To serve
To serve on Christmas Day, reheat the pudding by repeating 8. above for two hours. Then turn the pudding out, cover in (warmed) brandy or rum and set light to it. Serve with brandy or rum cream.
Brandy/Rum cream
Simply whisk the following ingredients together.
- 1 dessert spoon brandy or rum
- 5fl oz (150ml) double cream
- 1oz (25g) caster sugar, preferably golden.
