Sunday 28 November 2010

Stir Up Sunday

Today it is stir up sunday. That is the last sunday before advent which is traditionally the day for stirring up all the christmas pudding mix.

And this year i am getting in on the act, with the help of Nigella. My mum always uses Delia's recipe, so this is a bit of an adventure, but i have a lot of trust in Nigella, after the Marmite Spaghetti success (you must try it - it's not what you think it will be like. ie. it is really really delicious!)

this is a good book full of grant festive treats. here is nigella with biscuits

It seems that recipes for christmas puddings can vary quite a lot. Mum says Delia's has beer in, and maybe some nuts but Nigella doesn't use those things. I can't find her recipe online, but the one I am using is a traditional one from her Christmas book (it seems she has perfected many type of pudding of the christmas variety)

The ingredients for the pudding are:
150g each of currants, chopped prunes and sultanas; 175ml Sherry (a sweet one in my opinion); 100g Plain Flour; 125g White Breadcrumbs; 150g Suet (vegetable in my opinion); 150g Dark Muscavado Sugar; 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1/4 tsp of Ground Cloves; Grated Zest of 1 Lemon; 3 Eggs; 1 Medium Cooking Apple; 30ml (2 tbsps) of Honey (runny in my opinion)

These are the amounts Nigella gives, and this will make a 3 pint pud. For mine i have scaled it down by a third to make a 2 pinter, as fear the feast will be overwhelming.

I have had a very busy weekend so I am lucky that the process is in two parts, and today's part was very quick in that I had to measure out the dried fruit and put it in a bowl with the sherry and cover it with clingfilm to steep until tuesday when i will have the time for the rest of the activity (this is perfect as Nigella recommends the fruit is steeped at least over night or up to a week)

steeping fruits - sweet and gungey 

Tuesday I will have to get mixing as soon as i get home as there is 5 hours steaming to do before bedtime! I am really pleased that I am making my own pudding though. it is a first for me but a very very good life skill.

Yours festively,
Pudding Bowl. xxxx

4 comments:

d e b b i e said...

Tomorrow I will try the Marmite spaghetti I think. But with Bovril instead.
I hope this works.

Good work on the pud!!!

rosie tea said...

i really like those kitchen scales sneaking into that picture, and it has got me thinking - i probably definitely need a tiny little crochet cushion for my weights to sit on on my scales too - one of my new years resolutions is to learn to crochet - perfect!

christmas pudding is excellent, i wish i was more organised with preparations like this. mmmm.....

d e b b i e said...

update: I've just eaten the Bovril spaghetti. Very good. I had it with asparagus and sweet potato and plenty of parmesan.
Buttery and good. I see the attraction now x

Emily said...

Hurruh for pudding!
hurruh for marmite (bovril) spaghetti
hurruh for crochet.
hurruh hooray. now i am going home to do some steaming.

xxx