Who knows traditional plum pudding? Unless you have some connection to England either in heritage or destination, it is quite possible this Christmas treat may have passed you up. While it is dense and oooey gooey (and somewhat resembles a fruit cake), I PROMISE if you give it a try with some magical southern comfort bourbon sauce it just might make it into your recipe collection!
For me, this was tradition and as a little girl I wouldn’t confess to liking it but if my mom would have ventured to NOT make it, Christmas wouldn’t have been quite the same. It didn’t come from her heritage but my Dad’s. He grew up on plum pudding and to this day, I really make it not only to keep tradition passed on but also to see the smile on his face and hear the stories of by gone days. After all, this is what it is all about and I really do love it.
When I was young, this dessert was a family affair as it took a couple of days to prepare between macerating the dried fruit and then combining all the ingredients to “meld” together for a day before the “steaming” of the final product. Where we created the family tradition, this is true in England as well, is when my mom combined everything together, we would all take a turn at stirring it together and making a Christmas wish. It was so special and for many years I was sure this “locked in” the assurance that I would receive EVERY present on my list!
So next year or maybe just a snowy winters day, venture out and make this dessert and start a tradition. It’s not hard, just needs some time to rest, a good example for all of us to follow. Decorate it with the greens of your choice, topping it with the magic of every season.
- For Plum Pudding:
- ½ Cup golden raisins
- ½ Cup Dark raisins
- ½ Cup Dried plums
- ½ Cup Dried currants
- ½ Cup Dried cherries
- 2 oz Candied orange or candied lemon
- 4 Tbsp brandy
- 1½ Cups Ground suet
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup dark molasses
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 Cup Breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp Ground cloves
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp Allspice
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 Raw apple, diced
- 1 Cup sliced almonds
- orange, zested
- lemon, zested
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 Cup Milk
- For Bourbon Sauce:
- 1 Stick butter
- 1 Cup Sugar
- ⅓ cup southern comfort
- 4 Tbsp Heavy cream
- Two days before steaming pudding: Take all dried fruit (raisins, plums, currants, cherries, and candied orange or lemon) and put in a bowl. Pour brandy over and mix. Cover with Saran Wrap and let macerate
- Day before steaming pudding: Sift four and baking powder In a large mixing bowl, add suet, sifted flour, breadcrumbs, spices, salt, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
- Then add macerated dried fruit, nuts, apple, and grated orange and lemon zest. Mix well.
- Lastly, add molasses, eggs, and milk and mix well. Cover with Saran Wrap and put in fridge
- Day of steaming Take a tin pudding basin and lightly grease. Pour in mixture and spread evenly, it will be very thick.
- On the stove, get a stock pot which holds the tin and fill with water and put in tin. Water should come up the sides but not as high as the lid, about ¾ of the way.
- Get water boiling and turn down to light boil and cover with lid. Steam for 5½ hours or until done. Refill water to keep it at ¾ full.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes
- Get a serving plate and take off lid from tin and invert onto plate. Pudding should remove easily
- Southern comfort bourbon sauce: In saucepan over medium heat, add sugar and butter until melted and combined. Stir in whip cream and stir. Add southern comfort and stir, cook for a few minutes to cook off alcohol. Add more whip cream, if needed.
- Decorate with fresh holly. Slice and serve with southern comfort bourbon sauce.
