'Charlatans' Christmas Pudding!

Christmas pudding is as much a part of Ireland's culture as bacon and cabbage, and most likely every home will have one in some shape or form for the Christmas season be it a shop bought one or a home-made one prepared early in November and left to 'mature' for the big day.

I'm not sure many people go to the trouble of flaming their puddings these days, too much of a fire hazard probably! but I like to think that in the past it would have been flamed with that old Irish moonshine 'Poitin', rather than brandy, for who among the peasant folk could have afforded brandy!

I usually find myself making puddings from just after Halloween, but there is invariably a phone call or text message in the days leading up to Christmas from some poor soul who has forgotten to put in their order for a proper hand made pudding. When it comes to food I hate to see anyone going without so I came up with the idea for a 'last minute' pudding.

This pudding can be made almost at the last Christmas minute as it just needs to relax for a mere 24 hours before it can be eaten, so yes, technically you could make it on Christmas eve!, perfect for those in desperation if the local stores have run out of the 'good one's' or if you've forgotten to order one!

I think this is a really convenient method of doing a pudding,  shop bought mincemeat has the bulk of the fruit and suet required to make a pudding, and because mincemeat has already been 'matured' to gain that traditional flavour, there is no need to mature your pudding! I do advise you to get a good moist mincemeat though, some cheaper versions can be a little dry.

Although you will find this pudding a little less dense than a traditional pudding, everyone seems to love it done this way, some have even said they prefer it! so if you're in a hurry or you just like experimenting, have a go at making this and do let me know how you get on!

'Charlatans' Christmas Pudding

This will make a pudding to feed 8 -10 people with some extra for boxing day!

I prefer to use pecans for this because that's just our family thing, we do love our pecans! but you can use walnuts or almonds if that's your preference.

you will need:

200 g unsalted butter at room temperature plus a little extra for buttering things

180 g dark or light soft brown sugar

240 g self raising flour

3 teaspoons ground mixed spice

3 medium eggs at room temperature

200 g sultanas

200 g glacé cherries

100 g pecans or walnuts or whole almonds with no skin on!

550 g good quality 'mincemeat'....... as in mince pie filling!

zest of 1 large orange or 2 teaspoons orange zest

parchment paper

aluminium foil

You will also need a large ceramic pudding basin, I love the Mason Cash ones they are just so traditional, you can buy foil pudding basins now that have a cardboard lid, very convenient, but as this is an emergency pudding I like to use a cake tin. Yes you may not have that perfect desired almost bowling ball-like shape but hey, we're desperate here!

How to:

• break or chop the nuts into smaller pieces and place in a big bowl, add the sultanas, the cherries, the mincemeat and orange zest, stir together well and set aside at room temperature
• sieve the flour and mixed spice together and set aside
• beat your eggs and set aside
• butter your pudding basin/bowl/round cake tin and line the base with a circle of parchment paper, butter the paper.
• cut another round piece of paper for the top of the pudding and butter that piece too!

For the batter:

• cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy
• add 1 tablespoon of flour to the mixture, mix in gently
• turn the mixer speed on medium high and slowly add the beaten egg in small batches mixing fast all the time
• once all the egg has been added, turn the speed to low and slowly fold in the remaining flour, mix gently until all the flour is incorporated,
• scrape down the sides of the bowl, we don't want any bits left lying around 
• add the batter to your bowl of mixed fruits, fold in gently until all the fruit has been coated in the batter
• spoon your pudding mixture into your basin/bowl or tin
• smooth the top of the pudding and place the other circle of parchment butter side down, onto the pudding, press in gently
• cover with a loose piece of aluminium foil, we want to leave room if the pudding rises a lot, but make sure it is tucked in securely around the edges of your tin or, you can tie a piece of string around your bowl, the foil pudding bowls with a cardboard lid are great as you can fold in the edges of the foil to keep the lid secure....sort of like a chinese takeaway container
• you may now place your pudding in a deep saucepan, add water till it reaches half way up your boil, cover the pot with a lid then cook your pudding at a simmer for approx 4 hours!

If you don't want the bother or haven't the time for steaming your pudding, you can bake it in the oven..... which is what I always do! after all who's going to know if you don't tell them!

If you bake it long and slow and have it well covered it will, I assure you, come out looking like a perfectly plump plum pudding. Bake it at no more than 140 degrees centigrade for approx 2 hours or until it is dry in the centre.

Let your pudding cool in it's bowl/tin, store in a cool place until needed. You can steam the pudding again when you want to re-heat it or you can cut portions, place them on a tray and heat in a slow oven under tin foil or shush! (heat it in the microwave)

Serve your pudding with the usual brandy custard, or whipped and sweetened fresh cream, brandy butter or Irish whiskey butter, it's very tasty with Baileys butter, or even honey and whisky ice-cream.......

1 pint whipping cream

1 shot of whiskey....heat it and set fire to it then let it cool!

150 mls real honey!

whip the cream, whisk in the honey and the whiskey, place in a container and freeze.... voila! .......honey & whiskey ice-cream......yum!

Happy Christmas!