Printable Recipe: Christmas Plum Pudding

Christmas Plum Pudding

This perfect end to Christmas dinner. This English recipe makes the perfect sweet, fruity dessert. The beer and brandy make it deep and rich-- something the adults will like just as much as the kids. Watch out-- if you don't like fruitcake-like desserts, you may not like this. But you can't get more traditional than a plum pudding!

Note: to make this, you'll need a pudding basin or something similar. A pudding basin is a tall, slim bowl (see photo below) which must be safe to steam. A container for making large flans works, too, but is a little ungainly to steam.

Ingredients:
2 C. golden raisins
1 1/2 C. regular raisins, chopped
1 C. prunes, chopped
1 C. mixed candied fruit
1 lemon, zest
1 orange, zest
1 large carrot, grated
1 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. blanched almonds, chopped
2 C. white breadcrumbs (fresh)
1 C. brown sugar, packed
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
4 eggs
1/2 C. whole milk
2 C. Guinness stout
1/4 C. brandy

Instructions: 1. Grease two large pudding (20 cm. or 1.2 liters each) basins with butter.

2. Set two large saucepans of water to boil. Place a trivet or steaming rack in the bottom of each pan.

3. In large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Using your hands, mix in the butter. Add prepared dried and candied fruits and grated carrot.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, beer, brandy, lemon zest, and orange zest. Add to butter-flour mixture. Combine well using wooden spoon or hands.

5. Spoon batter into pudding basins. Leave room at the top to allow puddings to expand.

6. Cover each pudding basin with parchment paper, then two layers of aluminum foil. Secure coverings tightly with string.

7. Place the pudding basins onto racks in boiling water. The water should reach halfway up the basins. Boil 5 hours, adding new water as it boils away.

8. This can all be done ahead, and the puddings reserved in the refrigerator for several days or even weeks. Before serving a pudding, boil in its basin for one hour, or microwave individual servings before serving.

9. Top with custard, ice cream, or brandied cream. For a truly impressive end to your Christmas dinner, this English recipe is great when flambéed with brandy before serving.

10. One pudding serves one medium-sized family.