This morning I woke up bright and early so I decided to make our Christmas pudding. I have made the same pudding for quite a number of years now. The recipe came from a newspaper cutting (probably The Christchurch Press) but it has no date. It is a light pudding, not too rich, really easy to make and a tried and true favourite with family and friends.
The only pot large enough for boiling the pudding (for 4 hours!) is my mothers old preserving pan. I don't have a lid big enough to cover the pan so I use a heavy tea towel to cover the top (watching the edges don't hand down too low!). An old trick is to put a plate on the bottom of the pan for the bowl to sit on. It ensures the pudding doesn't get burnt on the bottom. I like to think of Mum while the pudding is merrily boiling away......
On occasions I have held my breath as it is not always easy to get the pudding out of the bowl in one piece. Now I make sure the bowl is well greased and wait until it is quite cooled before I try to turn it out onto a plate. With some relief the cooked pudding came out perfectly and it smelt divine!
Once the pudding was sorted I turned my attention to icing the two Christmas cakes I made at the beginning of November. In the past I might have made four large cakes but we tend to eat less cake these days so I really make them for sharing. Baking my cake and pudding really gets me into the Christmas spirit. Both recipes are attributed to Alison Holst, they tend to be no fuss methods using 'common' ingredients. Here is the cake one. http://www.radionz.co.nz/genre/recipes/peters-five-egg-christmas-or-birthday-cake
I can't say I am a great cake decorator but over the years I have learnt a few tips on how to ensure a good smooth result. Turning the cake upside down and using a 'filler' means the cakes iced surface is nice and smooth. Once both layers have been 'glued on' with a syrup, I use a rolling pin to roll the top really smooth. If any bubbles occur under the icing, I gently pierce them with a pin and roll smooth.
I have these silly little decorations I use every year, sadly I lost the little plastic tree Father Christmas used to stand next to - if anyone can find a replacement I would be most grateful - I have had no luck in hunting one down!
My repertoire of Christmas baking also includes a few dozen mini Christmas Mince and Pecan pies. Last year a dear friend gave me a great truffle recipe made with Plum Duff soaked in sherry mixed with melted dark chocolate and golden syrup and rolled into little balls. Decorated to look like mini Plum Duffs, they are absolutely gorgeous with coffee or some Christmas spirit! This little gem of a recipe is now added to my 'seasons greetings' list of tasty goodies. (I will post this later). Once all items have been cooked and baked I am content...... it wouldn't feel right if I didn't bake for Christmas. I suppose I am not particularly adventurous, making the same things every year but nothing gives me more pleasure than to share my homemade Christmas treats with family and friends.
The only pot large enough for boiling the pudding (for 4 hours!) is my mothers old preserving pan. I don't have a lid big enough to cover the pan so I use a heavy tea towel to cover the top (watching the edges don't hand down too low!). An old trick is to put a plate on the bottom of the pan for the bowl to sit on. It ensures the pudding doesn't get burnt on the bottom. I like to think of Mum while the pudding is merrily boiling away......
On occasions I have held my breath as it is not always easy to get the pudding out of the bowl in one piece. Now I make sure the bowl is well greased and wait until it is quite cooled before I try to turn it out onto a plate. With some relief the cooked pudding came out perfectly and it smelt divine!
Once the pudding was sorted I turned my attention to icing the two Christmas cakes I made at the beginning of November. In the past I might have made four large cakes but we tend to eat less cake these days so I really make them for sharing. Baking my cake and pudding really gets me into the Christmas spirit. Both recipes are attributed to Alison Holst, they tend to be no fuss methods using 'common' ingredients. Here is the cake one. http://www.radionz.co.nz/genre/recipes/peters-five-egg-christmas-or-birthday-cake
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| Ingredients ready to go, this cake has a nice spice combo |
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| Cake iced upside down with blobs of almond paste to fill the little holes, roll them flat |
I have these silly little decorations I use every year, sadly I lost the little plastic tree Father Christmas used to stand next to - if anyone can find a replacement I would be most grateful - I have had no luck in hunting one down!
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| The deer appear deep in snow! |
My repertoire of Christmas baking also includes a few dozen mini Christmas Mince and Pecan pies. Last year a dear friend gave me a great truffle recipe made with Plum Duff soaked in sherry mixed with melted dark chocolate and golden syrup and rolled into little balls. Decorated to look like mini Plum Duffs, they are absolutely gorgeous with coffee or some Christmas spirit! This little gem of a recipe is now added to my 'seasons greetings' list of tasty goodies. (I will post this later). Once all items have been cooked and baked I am content...... it wouldn't feel right if I didn't bake for Christmas. I suppose I am not particularly adventurous, making the same things every year but nothing gives me more pleasure than to share my homemade Christmas treats with family and friends.
1 comment:
I hope you're bringing some of those truffles to CHCH for Xmas lunch : )
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