Christmas puddings. (Not calling you all names)

I have done the same microwave recipe for the last 20 odd years, always goes down well.

I always buy a Christmas pudding. I only ever made one once, it wasn't a pleasant experience for anyone!!?

I use Delia's recipe but add in anything else I fancy. I've never had to throw any away!

DH used to make ours to Delias recipe but with added booze. He doesnt bothet now as only us to eat it on Christmas Day... bought one from Waitrose.

Tell me about using the slow cooker please!

“Suet Free” Christmas Pudding

You don't need suet at all to make a lighter tasty and more easily digested pudding. Soak the fruit in alcohol overnight first and then pour more over the pudding when you are ready serve it. To reheat on the day simply remove the lid from the bowl, invert on the serving plate and microwave - the pudding drops neatly onto the plate. I find that mixing everything except the fruit providing you remove the crusts from the bread you don't need to crumb the bread and you get a sort of batter which you then stir the fruit into. Grease and line with silicone paper your pudding bowl (plastics ones with lids are easiest) and press the mixture into it leaving around 1/2 inch on top for expansion, puddings must be covered during cooking. If you have any mixture left make one or two baby puddings, metric bowls are slightly smaller so there usually is some mixture left and the baby puddings can make nice presents or taster samples.

ImperialMetricIngredient
4oz115gmSelf Raising Flour
½ tsp2.5mlmixed spice
½ tsp2.5mlgrated nutmeg
2lb900gmmixed dried fruit
6oz170gmBreadcrumbs
6oz170gmMargarine
8oz225gmbrown sugar - preferably Muscavado
1 large1 largeapple (grated or liquidized )
2tbsp30mlMarmalade (or liquidized Satsuma including peel)
4 large4 largeEggs

Makes 1 large (3 pint) or 3 (1 pint) small puddings, use half quantities for a single medium pudding.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Steam for 2 hours (slow cooker low for 12-18 hours, high for 6 to 10 hours) or until dark brown and cooked through. Before considering using your slow for a Christmas pudding make sure that the slow cooker is big enough to hold the bowl with lid/cover when the pudding is placed it the bowl in must allow the lid to close properly. Using the bowl in the slow cooker if using a glass or ceramic bowl you must rest it on a jam jar lid to keep it above the slow cooker base (the bowl may crack if you don’t), for plastic and metal bowls you don’t need the spacer but metal bowls cannot be reheated in the microwave; preheat the slow cooker on high and have a full kettle of boiling water to hand, place the pudding covered in the centre of the hot slow cooker then pour the boiling water round it to come as high up as possible (you may need to boil more water). Can be microwaved but will remain light in colour. This recipe freezes well. To reheat (from thawed/room temperature) simply slow cook for about 90 minutes. You can reheat in the microwave – remove the lid and any paper, invert the cold pudding in the bowl on your serving plate. Microwave 2 to 3 minutes, the pudding drops out of the bowl onto the plate – you can then pour brandy over it and light if you want. Christmas Puddings are normally made a month or two ahead of time, after the initial cooking chill it and make sure it will come cleanly out of the bowl, wash and regrease the bowl to store the pudding in, you can store it frozen or simply keep it cool and airtight. If you like a really boozy pudding you can add brandy/rum/whiskey a couple of times between making and Christmas.

This recipe is for a 3 pint pudding. I double it up and use a clean washing up bowl for mixing, scale it down pro-rata to make smaller ones. To steam / slow cook I use 3 *1 litre (or 2 pint) plastic bowls with lids and after pressing the mixture into the greased bowls cover each with a circle of grease proof paper (to stop condensation spoiling the puddings) and place the lids. Any leftover mixture goes into smaller bowls to make little puddings. The cooking session usually takes about 48 hours in total with each pudding being slow cooked in turn. The puddings are then given to family members at Christmas

PASTED from MS-word document - see my comments about steaming - Pan method with plastic bowl works best. Scale down to fit your needs. I personally hate suet and it makes everything messy.

I have always made my own puddings using a recipe from a cookery book given to me when first married. I once used a different recipe and it was no where near as good. I have out of necessity had to vary it on occasion, when we lived abroad as I could not get suet (used butter), once when it had to be gluten free for someone and lastly when I had to substitute the grated apple for someone with an allergy. I get requests from family so usually make four or more and have been a bit worried about taking them through custom checks but they have always passed (no hidden sixpence hidden inside) so must be ok

I have no idea where my recipe came from, but it doesn't use flour, just breadcrumbs and makes a deliciously light pudding.

No nuts at all in it, these have been removed recently, as 2 members of the family have a nut allergy

Toscalily your mention of going through customs reminded me of the time I took an Xmas pudding I'd made to my son in the US. I got pulled out of line to explain the weird, cartoon bomb-shaped objects in my bags - I also had a giant jar of Marmite in there!

I can still recall the customs man holding a dirty pocket knife in his hand, ready to plunge it into my carefully crafted pudding. It was really hard to explain to him what it was. He didn't seem to understand the term pudding and it didn't resemble any dessert he knew of and wasn't cake-shaped either, so what could it be?? Thankfully, it passed muster eventually and both it and the Marmite came through unscathed.

Well, you haven't really left it late, gmelon as it's stir up Sunday tomorrow- the traditional day for making the Christmas pudding, in fact I've put mine together today and will be steaming it tomorrow, as per Delias instructions. (I've always used her recipe). She advises mixing up the day before steaming it, and I will steam it in my slow cooker, 8 to 10 hours on low, if memory serves me right - I'll be double checking that in the morning just to be sure. Delia does hers on the stove too but I find the slow pot means the kitchen doesn't get steamed up and the pan doesn't run dry.

Thank you for replies.
Very useful advice here.
You'vemade me hungry now. I'd love some Christmas pud.

I've got lots of Delia Smith books to peruse along with all the ideas on here.

Books? Should I be so old fashioned? It's all on the web yet for most things I still go straight to a book.

I really fancy some Christmas pud right now.
I'll be rushing round to get fruit and bits tomorrow.
Probably Aldi or Lidl now I've been converted .
The big question is custard or cream? It's a big divide at our table every year. Though daughter in law has both and ice cream if there's any going spare.

SueDonim, I've had the Marmite request too and Salt & Vinegar Crisps of all things, packed well they did not end up crushed to pieces. Anyone else had odd requests from those living abroad?

As for the custard v cream, I have usually served, cream, brandy butter & Rum Sauce. Rather a lot but keeps them all happy and it is only once a year

My friend wants to steam her shop bought Christmas pudding in her slow cooker, how long would it take and is that on high? Thanks

My friend wants to steam her Christmas pudding in the slow cooker it is shop bought and about 3litre I think, how long would it take high or low and how many hours.
Thanks

Sorry I didn't think the first message posted! ?

Lots of recipes on line

Thank you Cindersdad for the tip about putting the ceramic bowl on a jamjar lid. I just made mine this morning, it’s in the slow cooker now, and my recipe didn’t tell me that! I haven’t made a Christmas pud for about 30 years, and for the last four or five a dear friend has given me one of the approximately 40 he made every year. Sadly he died in the summer, and I still have his bowl, so I have decided to use it and make one in his memory. I’m sure it won’t be as good, and I would have been devastated if the bowl had cracked!

I make Delia's recipe, adapted for gluten-free, with extra nuts and spices. She actually recommends not making it too early.

I've used the slow cooker for years now. Just pop in the prepared and covered pud, fill a third of the way up with boiling water from the kettle, clap on the lid, switch on, and leave for eight hours or so. Mine never seems to need extra water, yours might, so check every two hours or so. On Christmas Day repeat for two hours. Dead simple.

My late mother would make her MIL recipe Xmas puds two weeks before Christmas We couldn't wait to give a stir. This was to me when Xmas really began, not in early October when we now see Xmas appearing in many shops. She used suet brought from the local butcher which she would grate herself.,
She would not use breadcrumbs but soaked bread overnight before squeezing it out. I recall the raisins that went in were large and juicy , frequently needed the small pips removing, not the pea size dried efforts we see now. She would gently steam on our gas cooker for twelve hours topping up the water through out. On Xmas day gently steam again for a couple of ours before serving. We kids were allowed a small glass of Ginger Wine at the same time the pudding was served. I have copied her recipe, unfortunately no large raisins , and with long slow steaming can't be beaten. However unlike all those years ago we have the luxury of extractor fans.

I always buy a pudding but lace it with extra brandy (LOTS!).

pen50 thank you for info about slow cooking. What setting is re-heating please.

Stir up Sunday today. I made mine a couple of weeks ago, but might make an extra one from the recipe put on this thread by Cindersdad, using the slow cooker method.

I've had requests for cheese and onion crisps, a certain make of gingerbread, cheddar cheese, tomato and HP sauce, crayons and a lical white and black pudding. Only a couple of weeks ago I had to explain what the puddings were due to shape on x-ray. Guy thought it was funny as looked like explosive devices.

"The opening words of the Book Of Common Prayer, used on the last Sunday before Advent, reads: "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people," so the tradition stands that this is the day. From Good Housekeeping magazine.