Colonial plum pudding with brandy sauce
Instructions:
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Clearly, plum puddings point back to a British heritage. This was an American Colonial pudding as well, served traditionally for dessert during the Christmas holidays. Plum pudding is best when made a few weeks ahead of the holidays, so that it can be wrapped and aged like fruitcake. It's important to use bread crumbs from a good quality bakery bread or a homemade bread. Before serving, the pudding should be steamed again to warm to serving temperature. It is served in thin slices. If desired, it may be served with Hard Sauce instead of the Brandy Sauce.
- 3⁄4 cup dark seedless raisins;
- 3⁄4 cup golden raisins;
- 3⁄4 cup currants;
- 1⁄2 cup mixed candied peels;
- 1⁄2 cup chopped almonds;
- 1 small tart apple, pared, cored, and grated;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon grated lemon peel;
- 1 cup chopped beef suet;
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour;
- 2⁄3 cup tightly packed light or dark brown sugar;
- 11⁄4 cups bread crumbs;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg;
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt;
- 2 eggs;
- 2 tablespoons brandy;
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice;
- Brandy for aging (optional);
- Brandy Sauce or Hard Sauce.
- In a large bowl, combine the raisins, currants, candied peels, almonds, apple, and lemon peel. In another large bowl, combine the suet with the flour; blend in the sugar, bread crumbs, spices, and salt.
- Blend flour mixture into the fruit mixture. Beat the eggs, add 2 tablespoons brandy and the lemon juice, then blend into the fruit-flour mixture, until evenly combined. (At this point, the mixture may be held overnight.)
- Grease a 1-quart pudding mold or pudding bowl. Turn pudding mixture into the bowl. The bowl should be two-thirds full. Cover top with wax paper, overlapping the edge of the bowl by 2 inches or so.
- Cover with a folded square of muslin. Tie on wax paper and muslin with kitchen twine. Place into deep kettle or roasting pan on rack.
- Add water to the pan, up to the level of the rack or about 1 inch. Cover and steam 4 hours, keeping the water at a simmer and adding water to prevent the pan from boiling dry.
- Remove bowl from steamer and cool. Store pudding in the bowl; or remove from bowl, drizzle with brandy, if desired, wrap in wax paper and foil, and store in a cool place for 3 to 4 weeks. Before serving, place pudding into the bowl or onto a plate and steam 30 minutes on a rack over water in deep pot or roasting pan. Cut in slices and serve with Brandy Sauce or Hard Sauce.