Who else still makes Christmas puddings?

In our family, the pudding is more,popular than the cake. I do usually still make a cake - covered with nuts, not icing, which was so often left - but TBH quite a bit of it often ends up going into the garden for the birds. (Still, as long as it's not actually wasted...).

I still make mince pies, the trad. little ones with thin pastry and lots of filling - too much pastry in the shop ones for me. However I have a friend who really likes the pastry - as long as it's in the M&S mini ones! Each to her own.

First batch of mince pies usually made on 1st Dec - again with carols on, and probably a glass or 2 of mulled wine, too.

It is one of the few traditional Anglo things that I still do. Allegedly the recipe I use is my great grandmothers recipe but who really knows. My mother wrote out the recipe for me when I married nearly 50 years ago and I have slightly adapted it but I still make the 3 puddings in basins every year, usually in October, and they are great family favourites. My Scandinavian dil caused much laughter with her pronounciation of 'pudd-ings' and the pudding with custard is a great favourite with my half Italian grandson.

Among the more traditional ingredients it has grated carrots which seemed quite exotic in the 1950s when I stirred the mixture for my mother long before people made things like carrot cakes - at least in 1950s Australia.

These days I don't bother with the boiled silver coins or trinkets as they no longer have any meaning but the wonderful brandy infused flavours linger. I keep them in the frig and we have eaten them, reboiled, two years later and they are still absolutely delicious.

I too cook mine in the slow cooker and reheat them on Xmas day in slow cooker too, saves a lot of steam and watching the water disappear. Always cook my Xmas cake and Puddings at beginning to end of Oct/Nov love it, makes me feel full of Xmas cheer. Always save the pudding mix for grandchildren to stir too before cooking. Roll on end of month.

After many years of doing so it's quite nice not to have to any more.... so I don't.

Maggiemaybe
We 'toasted' her at the Christmas dinner table with our bowls of pud raised. Even those who aren't keen on christmas pud had a little biit with ice-cream. It was a happy day

DH still makes Christmas puddings, using the recipe from the "Cranks" puddings book. (He adds extra nuts though.) Always uses the "lighter" vegetable suet - and the resulting puds are delicious.

That must have been a bitter sweet moment, LondonGranny.

I think you had the right idea with the regular feeding.

Maggiemaybe
I too have eaten a years-old Christmas pud, one that my mum made before she died and it took a while before I felt OK eating it rather than sobbing into it. I kept regularly 'feeding' it with brandy. It was really lovely. A lot evaporates (I think what evaporates is called the angel's share) and it was a boozy pud but so very delicious.

DH will be making ours this weekend - we like it dark and well laced!

It's one of the very few things that I really dislike - so no!

Please note: It was Calendargirl who suggested cooking Christmas puddings in a slow cooker not me! I don't even possess a slow cooker but might think about getting one now

Chewbacca, I tried a 3 year old pudding once and it was really dry and stale. I suppose it depends what’s in it?

I’m the only one in the family that likes proper Christmas pudding, so I just make a few of Delia’s last minute soufflé puds in individual ramekins for those who’ll try them. They’re very light, with no steaming involved, which is a bonus. I do miss the ritual of setting the pudding alight though!

I always use Delia’s creole cake recipe, which is delicious and adapts well to whatever booze you have available.

I have never made a Christmas pudding; it is all the boiling and the fear of them running dry that puts me off. Plus, no one in my family likes them.

I've

I'm making puddings on Stir up Sunday. Ive always used the same recipe. The recipe from a forty plus year old Dairy Book of Home Cookery.

DanniRae. How long does it take in a slow cooker? I have never thought of doing puddings of any kind in it. I presume you stand them in water and cover them in the usual way. Really interested.

My dear late mother frequently reminded me of the £7 it cost her for marzipan when I made the Christmas cake , oh, 45 years ago when I was 16.Don’t think I ever made one again!

I make puddings for me and a friend. Don’t bother with Xmas cake as it doesn’t get eaten.

Christmas pud is done in the pressure cooker , but that sounds like a good idea , so I will try the slow cooker this year

I was given a Christmas pudding as a gift 5 or 6 years ago. Do you think it's still edible?

I would except I’m the only one who likes it . Which is strange as they love mince pies and Christmas cake - I make the former, including the mincemeat, but the latter comes from M&S is “fed” regularly and decorated by DD and DGD.

I make guinness christmas puddings, really nice and moist. I use a pressure cooker but will look at using slow cooker DanniRae

Yes, I do. I use Delia's recipe, although I mix and match with different ingredients.

I also make the cake, using my MIL's recipe. The paper she wrote it on for me back in the 70's is very stained and very fragile now.

I cook my Christmas puddings in the microwave.