Plum pudding with Mrs Hanrahan's sauce
SERVES
10
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
MINUTES
CUISINE
COURSE
Baking
Method
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.
Fill into pudding bowls; cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle for ease of lifting. Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for six 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.
Remove the pudding after six hours and allow it to get cold. Re-cover it with fresh greaseproof paper and store in a cool dry place until required.
To make the sauce, 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 until using - this will keep for a number of weeks in the fridge. When needed, add the lightly whipped cream to taste.
On Christmas Day or whenever you wish to serve the pudding, steam for a further two hours. Turn the 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 brandy butter. You might like to decorate the plum pudding with a sprig of holly; however, take care, because the last time I did that I provided much merriment by setting the holly and my fringe on fire as well as the pudding!
Ingredients
340g raisins
340g sultanas
340g currants
340g brown sugar
340g white breadcrumbs
340g suet, finely chopped
110g candied peel
2 cooking apples, diced or grated
rind of 1 unwaxed lemon
2tsp cloves
pinch of salt
6 eggs
62ml Jamaica rum
110g chopped almonds, chopped
For Mrs. Hanrahan’s Sauce:
110g (4oz) butter
200g (7oz) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown sugar)
1 egg, preferably free-rang and organic
62ml (2 ½ fl oz) medium sherry
62ml (2 ½ fl oz) port
1.3 – 1.4 litres lightly whipped cream
Method
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.
Fill into pudding bowls; cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle for ease of lifting. Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for six 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.
Remove the pudding after six hours and allow it to get cold. Re-cover it with fresh greaseproof paper and store in a cool dry place until required.
To make the sauce, 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 until using - this will keep for a number of weeks in the fridge. When needed, add the lightly whipped cream to taste.
On Christmas Day or whenever you wish to serve the pudding, steam for a further two hours. Turn the 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 brandy butter. You might like to decorate the plum pudding with a sprig of holly; however, take care, because the last time I did that I provided much merriment by setting the holly and my fringe on fire as well as the pudding!
