Mummy’s Plum Pudding with Plum Pudding Sauce

Recipe by: Darina Allen

My mother was a wonderful cook; her food was warm and comforting. This recipe makes 2 large or 3 medium puddings - the large will serve 10-12 people, the medium 6-8, but I also like to make teeny weeny ones.

Mummy’s Plum Pudding with Plum Pudding Sauce

Ingredients

  • 350g raisins

  • 350g sultanas

  • 350g currants

  • 300g brown sugar

  • 350g good quality, non-GM white breadcrumbs

  • 350g finely chopped beef suet

  • 110g candied peel (preferably homemade)

  • 110g chopped almonds

  • 6 eggs, preferably free-range and organic

  • 2 Bramley’s Seedling cooking apples, coarsely grated

  • 62ml Jamaica Rum

  • rind of 1 unwaxed lemon

  • 3 pounded cloves, pounded (not ground cloves)

  • a pinch of salt

  • To Serve

  • Plum Pudding Sauce

  • For the Plum Pudding Sauce

  • 110g butter

  • 200g Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown sugar)

  • 1 organic egg, preferably free-range and organic

  • 62ml medium sherry

  • 62ml port 1.3-1.5 litres

  • lightly whipped cream

Method

  1. PLUM PUDDING:

  2. Mix all the ingredients together very thoroughly and leave overnight. Don't forget, everyone in the family must stir and make a wish! The next day, stir again for good measure and fill into pudding bowls. Cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper that has been pleated in the centre and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle also for ease of lifting.

  3. Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for 6 hours. The water should come halfway up the side of the bowl. Check every hour or so and top up with boiling water if necessary.

  4. After 6 hours (3 hours/2 hours depending on size of pudding), remove the pudding. Allow to get cold and re-cover with fresh greaseproof paper. Store in a cool dry place until required.

  5. On Christmas Day or whenever you wish to serve the plum pudding, steam for a further 2 hours. Turn the plum pudding out of the bowl onto a very hot serving plate, pour over some whiskey or brandy and ignite. Serve immediately on very hot plates with Plum Pudding Sauce or Brandy Butter.

  6. You might like to decorate the plum pudding with a sprig of holly; but take care not to set the holly on fire - as well as the pudding!

  7. PLUM PUDDING SAUCE:

  8. Melt the butter, stir in the sugar and allow to cool slightly. Whisk the egg and add to the butter and sugar with the sherry and port. Refrigerate.

  9. When needed, add the lightly whipped cream to taste.

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