Grandma Mulley's Christmas Pudding (French Fruit Pudding) Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter or shortening, at room temperature
1 cup of Molasses
1 cup of whole or 2% milk less 1 tbsp.
1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar
1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
¼ tsp salt
1¼ cups raisins
½ cup currants
1½ cups fresh bread crumbs
Foil wrap
Food grade string
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Grease a two quart enamel or stainless steel pot. Place wire rack (e.g. cooling rack) in large, deep pot with lid. Add water to cover rack.
2. Cut 3-3-inch wide foil strips.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
4. Add lemon juice or vinegar to the milk and let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter (or shortening) with a hand mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the molasses and mix until incorporated; then add sour milk, and beat just until combined. The mixture will look separated.
7. Add the bread crumbs and stir to incorporate; then add the flour mixture and beat, at low speed, until combined. Finally add the raisins and currants, stirring just until mixed together.
6. Spoon mixture into prepared pot; place lid on top. Using food grade string, tie lid handle to side handles securely. Wrap 3 inch wide foil strips around seam where the lid meets the pot. Press to seal.
7. Place filled pudding pot on wire rack in larger pot.
8. Pour boiling water around pudding dish, about 2/3 way to top of pudding pot.
9. Place lid on large pot and turn burner on high to bring water to a boil. Turn heat to medium and steam for 3 hours.
10. Check water level every half hour and add additional boiling water, if required.
11. Remove pudding pot from larger pot when cooked and carefully detach lid, making sure no water falls on the pudding. Using knife, circle edge of pudding to loosen, and let rest for 15 minutes on cooling rack. Place second cooling rack on top of pot and flip over. Allow pudding to release on rack and remove dish.
11. Cool on rack. Refrigerate for 4 hours and cut in half; wrap in foil before placing in container or plastic bag. Refrigerate, if serving within a few days. Can be frozen up to 2 months. Defrost before warming to serve.
12. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 325 º F. Remove pudding from freezer and place foil-wrapped pudding in oven 20 minutes to warm. Serve wth Brown Sugar sauce and/or Lemon Sauce. |
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Number Of
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Number Of
Servings:8 pieces per half pudding. |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:4 hours |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Every year, Grandma Mulley steamed two puddings before Christmas. There was always an air of mystery about this pudding because steaming desserts wasn't a method that I was comfortable with doing. It seemed almost too complex to try to attempt.
For several years after Grandma Mulley passed, we could not find this recipe. I was left with her Pudding Steaming pot (pictured included) and a sense of loss and sadness, at having misplaced the recipe for this treasured Christmas dessert. I was of the opinion the recipe originated in her green Normal College Cookbook; "Normal College" was the Teachers' College in Truro she attended in the early 1940"s.
We also didn't know where the cookbook was and I was unable to locate it or find one in the community. About 4 years ago, I was lamenting to my sisters, about how badly I felt, that we lost the Christmas pudding recipe. One of my sisters remembered she had a stack of Grandma Mulley's old Recipe Cards and gave them to me. While scanning these, I discovered this "French Fruit Pudding" recipe on the back of one of the cards. As soon as I went through the ingredients, I was convinced this was the Christmas Pudding recipe I was searching for.
The ingredient that stood out was the Suet. I have vivid memories of Grandma Mulley asking Papa Mulley to go to the grocery store (she could also drive) to pick up the Suet. This is fat extracted from beef (I substitute butter and include shortening as an optional ingredient). Overjoyed at this find, I was even happier after successfully preparing one. I then sent samples to my sisters and brother who all confirmed the taste, texture, and appearance of mine, was indeed her delicious Christmas Pudding!
The rich, dense texture is nicely balanced by the warm, tart Lemon Sauce she topped it with. For those who have a " sweeter tooth", there was some of her Brown Sugar Sauce ready to serve!
Grandma Mulley took great pride in serving this to family every holiday and in later years, bringing it to Christmas celebrations at our homes! We all look forward to the special dessert!
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