Christmas Pudding (our family recipe)

Though Christmas is a few month's away, it's coming up time to make the Christmas pudding. This has traditionally been a job only done by mum. My job has been to stir and stick my thumb in and pull out a taste of the (raw) mix for luck in the year to come. We still have a collection of silver that goes into the pudding too: for the lucky few to find once it's time for eating.

1 3/4 lb (920g) mixed dried fruit
4oz (125g) shredded dried peel
3 tablespoons rum
8oz (250g) butter
8oz (250g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 eggs
1 medium size grated carrot
1 small grated apple
4oz (125g) breadcrumbs
2oz (60g) chopped blanched almonds
6oz (185g) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice

(At least a day before you'd like to make the pudding, cover a tray with the dried fruits and sprinkle with the rum. - this is not in the recipe - this is something I've watched mum do every year though ...)

Cream butter and brown sugar, then add orange and lemon rinds. Beat in eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in dried fruits, and grated carrot and apple. Fold in the breadcrumbs, almonds and other dry ingredients. (this is where the original recipe in mum's hand written book says to add the rum). Mix together well and allow to stand for at least an hour.

Fill into a greased pudding bowl. Tie floured pudding cloth securely over the top. (mum uses a layer of baking paper, and a layer of aluminium foil tied around the rim of the pudding bowl - and over the top only). Plunge into boiling water and boil rapidly for 5 hours. Top up the boiling water in the pan as required.

On the day, boil 2 to 2 1/2 hours before serving.

Raspberry Crumble Bake

I've been making this so long - its a little note of ingredients in my book with no instructions - think I got the ingredients one day off mum over the phone so here's my attempt with adding the 'how' as well as the 'what'...

Preheat a moderate oven and grease a slice (12" x 8") tin (I also add baking parchment to the bottom of the pan).

12oz (360g) Self Raising Flour
1 egg
3oz (90g) butter
60z (180g) sugar
4 rounded tablespoons jam (OK well I'm generous here and use about double this)
1 level teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the flour and sugar, crumble butter through with your hands add egg and mix well. Cover the slice tin with a bit over half this mix to make a base. Press firmly. Spread the jam over the base. Crumble the rest of the mix loosely over the jam. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

(My lazybones addition is to soften the butter in the microwave or in a bowl over hot water, then mix.)

(My variations - I've used this to make all sorts of seasonal delights by changing the variety of jam, replacing the jam with fruitmince.)

It looks delightful cut in little squares then dotted with a half teaspoon quenelle of mascarpone, or a teaspoon of lightly whipped cream.

RICE PUDDING 1959

This is a simple recipe for baked Rice Pudding from a 1959 cookbook.

1/2 cup rice
1 quart milk (that's just under 1 litre)
1/2 teaspoon sugar (white or brown)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash rice, add remaining ingredients and pour into greased baking dish. Bake in 275F (that's 135C) oven 3 hours. Stir frequently during the first hour. Serves 6.

Variations: Add 1/2 cup raisins or 2 eggs during last hour. I also vary with lemon or orange rind, lavender or rose petals infused in the milk, or hisbiscus tea infused in the milk (strain after infusing before making as above).

I love these simple nostalgic recipes. We can do so many things from the basic.

Oh by the way the 1959 Cookery Book is Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook.

Caramel Self Sauce Pudding

This is another wonderful family recipe, the type of recipe that women used to pass around and share with each other. From the family hand written cook book:

1 cup Self Raising Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix into batter and spoon into greased oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup brown sugar, (and optional 1 teaspoon instant coffee).

Gently pour 1 3/4 cup boiling water over the batter and topping. (I pour over the back of a spoon).

Bake in oven 190C or 375F (a little less for fan forced) for 40 - 45 minutes.

Golden Syrup Dumplings

Dating back to the Depression, this Australian family recipe was winter comfort food in harder times...

Syrup: 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon golden syrup, 1 tablespoon butter

Dumplings: Rub 1 tablespoon butter into 1 cup Self Raising Flour. Mix to a soft dough with 1 beaten egg and a little milk. Form dough into about 8 balls and drop into the boiling syrup.

Allow to simmer with lid on the pot for 20 to 30 minutes.

(another in the collection of family recipes from mum)