Sibyl's biscuit tin- boiled christmas pudding

I love christmas time and i take a rather traditional approach to baking in the festive season. Christmas puddings, fruit cake and christmas tarts are always on my favourites list. In truth though with so much on at christmas i don't always bake my own, particularly christmas puddings. But after many years of buying them i thought it would be nice to try making my own. I'm lucky these days to have a good relationship with a local butcher who was able to supply me with some suet as well.

Christmas pudding making was a bit of a family event this year with my mum visiting and compulsory help from my little man.

Cohen is my expert stirrer and dried fruit tester. This kid loves dried fruit so he was in heaven making this pudding.

The batter came together quickly.

It was a bit more liquid than i expected but it turned out fine in the end.

Pouring the batter into calico cloth and tying up the ends.

Then into the pot for boiling. The spoon stops it from sitting on the bottom of the pot and i placed a plate underneath to prevent this as well.

Then i covered up the pot and bubble, bubble, bubble off it boiled for a few hours.

All cooked and ready for hanging in a cool, dry place until christmas. I'm also going to 'feed' the pudding with a little brandy every few days for a little extra christmassyness - it's a word, really it is..... after plenty of brandy soaked pudding anything counts as a real word.

Traditional christmas pudding

1 1/2C flour

1 C suet

1 C breadcrumbs

1 C raisins

1 C sultanas

1 C mixed peel

1/4 pound glace cherries

1/4 pound almonds (i used ground almond as it's all i had)

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 t baking soda

1 C golden syrup

1/2 C brown sugar

1 large egg

1 C milk

150ml brandy

grated rind of 1 orange ( i used 1 T orange juice)

Mix everything together. Boil in a pudding cloth for 4-5 hrs. Done. Store in a cool, dry place until christmas, feeding 2-3 times a week with a little brandy. On the day of serving either boil or steam for 30mins - 1 hr until piping hot. Serve with brandy butter or cream.

yummy stuff

So now we wait for the big reveal on the 16th at an early family christmas dinner. I'm hoping to do the whole deal with the pudding and make some brandy butter and light the pudding on fire too. I'll let you know how i get on! I hope you're all starting to feel a little christmassy out there too.

On another note my christmas ornament for Christina Lowry designs ornament swap  is in the post today. I hope the recipient likes it!

Take care people

xxx