Christmas Recipes > Mrs. Bridges' Christmas Pudding

How to make Mrs. Bridges' Christmas pudding:
From "Mrs. Bridges Upstairs Downstairs Cookery Book", based on the LWT programme Upstairs Downstairs. Published by Sphere Books Ltd.





Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 cup fresh, white breadcrumbs
1 1/4 cup Barbados sugar
6 eggs
1/4 cup Barley Wine or Yorkshire Stingo
2 tablespoons Brandy
1 cup currants
1 3/4 cups seedless raisins
1 3/4 cups sultanas
4 tablespoons candied peel
6 tablespoons blanched, slivered almonds
1 cup suet
1/2 cup glace cherries
1 cooking apple
grated rind of a large lemon
grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
(see measure conversions for more information)

Method

- Finely chop the cherries and the candied peel.
- Put them in a large, deep bowl with the rest of the dried fruit.
- Peel, slice and chop the apple, add the grated lemon and orange peel and the almonds.
- Add the suet, flour, breadcrumbs, sugar and spices and salt.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Add the well beaten eggs, the ale and the brandy and the fruit juice.
- Stir, wish and leave overnight.
- Put the mixture into pudding basins (there will be enough to fill four 1 1/2 pint basins and leave an inch or two at the top for the mixture to swell.
- Cover with greaseproof paper (or foil) then with a cloth tied below the rim securely with string.
- Put the puddings in pans, each on a trivet if possible and with water three quarters of the way up the basin.
- Simmer on a very low heat for 8 hours replenishing with boiling water when necessary.
- Serve with superfine sugar, brandy butter, Cumberland rum butter or cream (clotted or double).

See also:
Christmas Pudding Ice Cream Recipe
Christmas Pudding Recipe
Christmas Pudding Recipe 2
Christmas Pudding Recipe 3
Vegetarian Christmas Pudding Recipe