HELP - Christmas pudding from 2011 calendar

[Wonder]

I'm thinking of trying this recipe but have only ever used a traditional recipe with a combination of the standard dried fruit, can someone tell me where I can purchase the dried cherrie, blueberries and plums (are these prunes?), also I would like to try steaming in a pudding basin or bowl which both fit easily in the basket, would this be ok? I've always used calico because that's the way I was taught but I really hate trying to get it even and tying the strings tight enough.

[cookie1]

I'd make up the quantity of dried fruits with anything you want.

[cookie1]

Thanks Judy. The correct Cookie1 is back as a moderator.

[judydawn]

and your stars are green again too 

[cecilia]

I have been brought up to smear a bit of water and brown sugar on the cloth as well as flour to make a lovely crust and glaze.  Is that what others do as well?

[dede]

I make my grandmothers recipe and she used the oven bag trick in later years so that's what I do. I just made mine today and the only thing the TM done was make the fresh bread crumbs. Do other people have fresh bread crumbs in their Christmas pudding recipes.
I think the recipe is
2 1/2 cups dried mixed fruit
Soaked in 1 cup sweet sherry over night ( mine soaked for 3 days cause I had to buy some calico)

Place fruit mixture into a pot with 1 cup sugar and 170g butter.
Bring to boil and simmer for 4 minutes, add 1 tsp bicard and stir. Allow to cool

Add 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup plain flour, 1 cup self raising flour, 1 tsp mixed spice and 1 cup fresh bread crumbs. Mix well.

Place mixture onto a oven bag that has been slit open ( 1 long side and bottom) and bring the sides in and tie at the top ( allow some room for pudding to rise.
Then cover with calico and tie with string

Place in large pot and cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 hours. ( mine is almost ready to take out as we speak)

I usually hang mine for a few days then throw it in the freezer as I would think it would go mouldy if left hanging for to long being in an oven bag.

I just love the smell of Christmas pudding, it just makes it feel like Christmas as its the only time of the year I make it.

Yum yum

[dyljon]

Sorry, haven't been around for a while, thanks for updating the recipe!

I just used whatever dried fruit I had in pantry, which turned out to be craisins, sultanas, apricots, peaches and glace cherries. So I can't really call it a plum pudding...

 I think they turned out ok once I did the flour trick - hope so anyway as they've been given to teachers as giftfs! I guess we won't really know till we eat our own one on the 25th!

[Delightful Den]

I'm thinking of trying this recipe but have only ever used a traditional recipe with a combination of the standard dried fruit, can someone tell me where I can purchase the dried cherrie, blueberries and plums (are these prunes?), also I would like to try steaming in a pudding basin or bowl which both fit easily in the basket, would this be ok? I've always used calico because that's the way I was taught but I really hate trying to get it even and tying the strings tight enough.

I stood in the dried fruit aisle of the supermarket scratching my head at the dried plums for a few minutes then it dawned on me that dried plums are prunes.  I found the dried blueberries in my local Coles supermarket which means they should be everywhere as our Coles is pretty hopeless.  I substituted the dried cherries for glace cherries

[Delightful Den]

I made my pudding 2 weeks ago and hung it.  Tonight when I opened the pudding it had gone moldy. Does this often happen?

[CreamPuff63]

yuk hate fruit mince and christmas pudding type stuff!
Mould is good = chuck it out 

[Delightful Den]

Does that mean you don't like fruit cake either CP?  You sound like DD1. She doesn't like dried fruit cooked into anything and is not a big fan of jam either.

[dyljon]

Dashingden - ours had been hanging for 8 days, and had a few mould spots around the neck, but we opened it before resteaming to make sure it was ok and the pud itself was fine. It was just the damp flour around the tied section that had gone mouldy. The alcohol in the pudding itself kept that safe. Everyone said it was yummy, and nobody got sick from it, so I think we're good.

[judydawn]

I hope it didn't spoil your Christmas lunch Dashingden, not having a pudding to finish the meal off.  Was your pudding recipe one which stated that you could make it well before Christmas (some can be made many weeks before) for the flavours to develop. Just a normal steamed pudding recipe could have been frozen to ensure all would be well on the big day.

[cookie1]

Was the mould on the inside or outside? Was it in a cloth?
If it was in a cloth and the mould was on the outside it was probably around the neck of the pudding. Sometimes this doesn't dry out properly. Mum used to cut the string and dry it out well and then retie it. (I know this has already been said)

Rotten luck though.

[Delightful Den]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.  The mold was mostly on the cloth but a little bit had gotten on the top of the pudding.  I think it was just that the neck of the cloth where it was tied stayed a bit damp.

It didn't ruin Christmas day for us JD because we ate some of it last night and my chooks are enjoying the rest today.  It was probably ok to keep and eat some more today but we have enough food and there is no sense in taking chances.

I think the problem was in the cloth.  I have never made a pudding before we always just bought one.  This year I decided to have a go and bought some muslin to wrap it in.  I used a double thickness and the neck was difficult to tie and very bulky. Next time I will try and do it a little differently.