posted by Angel 12-20-99 5:30 AM
English Plum Pudding (Christmas Pudding)
1 lb. candied cherries
1 lb. golden raisins
1 lb. pitted chopped dates
4 candied pineapple rings, sliced
1/2 cup chopped candied orange peel
1/2 cup chopped candied lemon peel
2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brandy
Place fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the flour.
Sift together remaining flour, sugar, salt, soda and spices. Beat eggs and add buttermilk, oil, orange and lemon juice and brandy.
Combine with the flour mixture. Pour batter over fruit and mix until all the fruit is coated with batter.
Oil pudding molds or empty coffee tins and fill 3/4
full. Cover tightly with foil. Place in a steamer, cover and cook 3 to 4 hours or until pudding loses its creamy look. Cool in molds 20 minutes.
Wrap in cheesecloth that has been dampened with brandy or rum. Wrap again in foil and place in fridge to mellow 1 month.
When ready to serve, steam 1 hour.
Place on a cake stand, decorate with holly. Serve with Cumberland Rum Butter.
Cumberland Rum Butter:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. dark rum
pinch of ground nutmeg
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the rum and nutmeg gradually until the mixture is smooth. Chill until firm.
Serve with English Plum Pudding.