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Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce
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Serves 6
Ingredients
For The Brandy Sauce:
1 1/2oz (40g) butter
2 tablespoons brandy
1 1/2oz (40g) plain flour
10fl oz (300ml) whole milk
1 1/2oz (40g) golden caster sugar
4fl oz (110ml) double cream
For The Christmas Pudding:
3oz (75g) shredded suet
1 1/2oz (40g) self-raising flour
3oz (75g) fresh white breadcrumbs
good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
good pinch ground cinnamon
6oz (175g) soft dark brown sugar
3oz (75g) sultanas
3oz (75g) raisins
7oz (200g) currants
3/4oz (20g) mixed chopped peel
3/4oz (20g) blanched almonds, finely chopped
1 small bramley cooking apple (5oz/150g)
grated zest of 1/2 medium orange
grated zest of 1/2 medium lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons rum or brandy
2fl oz (55ml) barley wine
2fl oz (55ml) stout
2 medium eggs
Method
You will need a 1 1/2 pint pudding basin, lightly greased.
Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding. Take your largest, roomiest mixing bowl and start by putting in the suet, sifted flour and breadcrumbs, spices and sugar. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly together, then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, mixed peel and nuts followed by the apple and the grated orange and lemon zests. Don't forget to tick everything off so as not to leave anything out. Now in a smaller basin measure out the rum, barley wine and stout, then add the eggs and beat these thoroughly together. Next pour this over all the other ingredients, and begin to mix very thoroughly. It's now traditional to gather all the family round, especially the children, and invite everyone to have a really good stir and make a wish! The mixture should have a fairly sloppy consistency – that is, it should fall instantly from the spoon when this is tapped on the side of the bowl. If you think it needs a bit more liquid add a spot more stout. Cover the bowl and leave overnight.
To cook, fill a saucepan quite full with boiling water, put it on the heat and, when it comes back to the boil, place a steamer on top of the pan and turn it down to a gentle simmer. Put the Christmas pudding in the steamer, cover and leave to steam away for 2 1/4 hours. You'll need to check the water from time to time and maybe top it up a bit.
While the pudding is steaming, make the brandy sauce. Place butter in a medium saucepan with the flour, pour in the milk then, using a balloon whisk, whisk everything vigorously together over a medium heat. As soon as it comes to simmering point and has thickened, turn the heat right down to its lowest setting, stir in the sugar and let the sauce cook for 10 minutes. After that add the brandy and the cream. Pour the hot sauce into a jug, then cover the surface with Clingfilm and keep warm until required.
To serve, remove the pudding from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a palette knife all round the pudding, then turn it out on to a warmed plate. Place a suitably sized sprig of holly on top. Now warm a ladleful of brandy over direct heat, and as soon as the brandy is hot ask someone to set light to it. Place the ladle, now gently flaming, on top of the pudding – but don't pour it over until you reach the table. When you do, pour it slowly over the pudding, sides and all, and watch it flame to the cheers of the assembled company! When both flames and cheers have died down, serve the pudding with brandy or rum sauce, or rum or brandy butter.
