Now it’s time to get fruity . . . Cause a Christmas STIR pudding this Xmas
Christmas cake recipe
250g sultanas
75g dried raisins 75g currants
75g candied citrus peel, chopped
1 Bramley apple, peeled and roughly chopped
3tbsp dark rum 250ml Guinness stout
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Butter, to grease
100g dark muscovado sugar
75g vegetarian suet 3tbsp golden syrup 60g plain flour
1tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice
Pinch grated whole nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
50g of unsalted butter
50g of sieved plain flour
550ml of whole milk
2tbsp dark rum
50g castor sugar
50g of Douglas fir (use the lighter green, tender tips) – these will need to be foraged, and washed first. 1 Put the dried fruit, rum, Guinness, orange zest and juice into a large non-metallic mixing bowl. Cover and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
2 Lightly butter a 1 litre (1¾ pint) pudding basin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Put a 35.5cm (14in) square of foil on top of a square of baking parchment of the same size. Fold a 4cm (11/ pleat across the centre of both together and set aside.
3 Add remaining ingredients to the soaked fruit, stirring well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin, pushing down well. Level the surface. Put the pleated foil and parchment square (foil-side up) on top of the basin and smooth down to cover. Tie a long piece of string securely under the lip of the basin, then loop it over again and tie to make a handle.
4 To cook, put a heatproof saucer in the base of a large, deep pan. Lower in the prepared pudding and pour in enough water to come halfway up sides of basin, trying not to get any on top of pudding. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, then bring water to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 4½hr, topping up the water as necessary. Remove pudding from the pan and cool completely. 5 When cool, wrap the entire basin, still with its foil lid, tightly in clingfilm and then another layer of foil. Store in a cool, dark place for up to two months.
Method for the Douglas Fir sauce:
6 Add the milk, sugar, rum and Douglas fir to a pan and bring to a light simmer.
7 Take off the heat and cover with cling film. After 6 minutes, with a spoon taste the milk and leave to infuse until you have your desired flavour (the longer you leave, the stronger the taste of Douglas fir) and remember to recover with cling film each time you taste.
8 Once you have the desired taste, pass the mixture through a fine sieve and set aside for your sauce (it’s best to use this whilst it’s still warm).
9 In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Keep stirring and cook for 2-3 minutes until a smooth roux is formed. Start to slowly add your infused milk to the butter and flour mixture, stirring continuously, so that no lumps form.
A FLAMING Christmas pudding and a classically decorated Christmas cake are sweet spectacles that many of us remember from childhood.
And most of us agree the dark, sticky desserts just have to be on the menu at a proper festive gettogether.
But getting them right in time for the big day involves some forward planning.
Traditionally they are made on Stir-up
Sunday so that the spicy, fruity flavours can mature in time for
Christmas.
It always falls six weeks before Santa is due to drop by on his sleigh. Or, in other words: TODAY. But don’t panic. You can get away with making your pud and cake any time in the next week, before the start of Advent on December 1.
You can’t get much more Christmassy than this pudding recipe from telly chef Matt Tebbutt, star of Saturday Kitchen Live.
It is topped with Douglas Fir Sauce – which is made with the green tips from actual Christmas trees.
Our yummy Christmas cake recipe is also packed with festive flavours.
Traditionally, the whole family should get involved and help prepare the treats.
And everyone should have a go at stirring the pudding – and making a wish for the New Year. 225g unsalted butter 225g sugar
225g plain flour 340g currants
225g sultanas
120g raisins
55g peel
55g cherries
55g ground almonds 4 medium eggs
1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon 2 tbsp black treacle 2 tbsp dark rum
250g ground almonds
115g icing sugar
115g caster sugar
1 medium egg, lightly beaten 1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
1 Pre-heat oven to 140C.
2 line an 8” (20cm) loose bottomed round baking tin
3 In a large glass bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth.
4 Gradually add the eggs one by one and stir in the rum and spices.
5 Fold in the treacle, fruit, ground almonds and flour until well combined.
6 Spoon cake mixture into the prepared tin and cover loosely with greaseproof paper.
7 Bake in the oven for 75 minutes.
8 Reduce temperature to 130C and bake for a further 1 hour. Reduce temperature again to 120C and bake for a further 40 – 50 minutes.
9 To check the cake is cooked all the way through, pierce in the centre with a metal skewer. If it comes out clean, it is cooked.
10 Once cake is cooled, wrap in foil and store in a tin.
11 Keep “feeding” the cake with 2tbsp of rum every week leading up to Christmas.
Method for Almond Paste:
1 Mix together ground almonds, icing sugar, caster sugar, egg, lemon zest and almond extract.
2 Press together, wrap and chill.
3 Cover the top of your cake with apricot jam and then wit with the almond p paste.
4 Decorate your cake with ready to roll icing and Christmas cake decorations of your choice.
Saturday Kitchen Live every Saturday, BBC One 10am and Saturday Kitchen Best bites every Sunday morning,
BBC Two