Best New England Christmas Pudding Recipes

OLD FASHIONED NEW ENGLAND INDIAN PUDDING

Steps:

• Scald the milk and butter in a large double boiler. Or heat the milk and butter for 5-6 minutes on high heat in the microwave, until it is boiling, then transfer it to a pot on the stove. Keep hot on medium heat.
• Preheat oven to 250.
• In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, and salt; stir in molasses. Thin the mixture with about 1/2 cup of scalded milk, a few tablespoons at a time, then gradually add the mixture back to the large pot of scalded milk. Cook, stirring until thickened.
• Temper the eggs by slowly adding a half cup of the hot milk cornmeal mixture to the beaten eggs, whisking constantly.
• Add the egg mixture back in with the hot milk cornmeal mixture, stir to combine.
• Stir in the sugar and spices, until smooth. At this point, if the mixture is clumpy, you can run it through a blender to smooth it out.
• Stir in the raisins (optional).
• Pour into a 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dish.
• Bake for 2 hours at 250.
• Allow the pudding to cool about an hour to be at its best. It should be reheated to warm temperature if it has been chilled. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

THE QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Select a heat-proof bowl of any size or shape and generously grease with butter.
• Combine dates, apricots, currants, raisins, cranberries, ginger, whiskey, orange zest, and orange juice in a mixing bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine.
• Pour in melted butter and stir until everything is evenly coated. Mix in egg, heavy cream, and buttermilk. Add salt, pecans, bread crumbs, and flour and mix until batter is very thick and sticky.
• Transfer dough to the prepared bowl and press it down to flatten with a spatula. Place a circle of parchment paper over the top and press down to seal. Stretch 2 pieces of plastic wrap over the bowl, then place the bowl on a third piece of plastic wrap. Bring the ends up and over the bowl and seal tightly. Cover the bowl with 2 pieces of foil, then tie a piece of string around and secure tightly.
• Place in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
• Lay rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Place the wrapped pudding on the rosemary sprigs and fill the Dutch oven halfway with water.
• Place over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce heat to medium and steam, covered, for 4 hours, checking every hour to see if you need to add more water.
• Use kitchen towels and carefully lift the pudding out of the Dutch oven. Snip the string, take off the foil, remove the plastic wrap, and peel off the parchment. Place a plate over the bowl and invert the pudding to unmold.
• Brush maple syrup over top. Cut and serve immediately.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• The day before you want to steam the pudding: In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the suet, brown sugar, sifted flour, breadcrumbs, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gradually mix in the currants, sultanas, raisins, candied peel, and almonds, followed by the apple and citrus zests. In a small bowl, whisk together the rum, barley wine, and stout, and then beat in the eggs. Pour this mixture over the dried fruit and nut mixture. Mix thoroughly. It should be somewhat loose; if it needs a little more liquid, add some stout. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• The following day: Butter a 1-pint pudding mold and pack the pudding mixture into it. Cover with a double piece of parchment and a sheet of foil and tie securely with a string across the top to make a handle. Place the pudding mold in a covered steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water, and steam for 8 hours. Check the water level, adding boiling water as needed. When the pudding is finished, let it cool and then remove the papers and foil. Replace with fresh paper and make a new string for easier maneuvering. Set in a cool place away from light (under the bed works well).
• To reheat, set a saucepan with boiling water over medium heat and put a steamer on top. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, set the pudding in the steamer, cover, and let steam for 2 1/4 hours. Top up the water a bit if necessary.
• To serve, remove the pudding from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a palette knife around the pudding, and then turn it out onto a warm plate. Garnish with a sprig of holly. To flambe the pudding, warm a ladleful of brandy over direct heat, and when it is hot, carefully light the brandy. Place the flaming ladle over the pudding, but do not pour until at the table. When you do slowly pour it over the pudding, sides and all, watch it flame! Serve with rum sauce if desired.
• This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

GORDON ELLIOTT CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease 3 medium or 2 large basins. Mix together all dry ingredients, reserving 1/4 cup flour. Toss reserved flour with prepared fruit, almonds, and grated carrot. Mix suet through dry ingredients; add fruit and nut mixture. Mix egg, milk, orange and lemon rind and orange juice together. Mix the moist ingredients and dry ingredients together well. Stir in 3 silver coins. Place mixture in basins allowing a little room at top of basin for pudding to swell. Place two thicknesses of foil on top of basins and tie securely. If preferred puddings may be cooked in a prepared pudding cloth. Place puddings in boiling water in large saucepan or boiler and boil steadily for 5 hours for large pudding and 3 hours for small. As water boils away replace with more boiling water. On the day the pudding is to be served, boil for 1 hour more. Serve with ice cream or custard sauce. When serving flame with brandy.;
• Make the milk hot in double saucepan or in a jug standing in a saucepan of boiling water. Beat 1 egg and yolk with 2 teaspoons sugar until well mixed, pour hot milk on, stirring quickly. Return to saucepan or jug, stir with a wooden spoon until it thickens and coats the spoon. Strain at once into a cold basin, add essence when cooled, and pour into a glass dish. Grate a little nutmeg over the top. If you like, whip *egg white stiffly, add 1 teaspoon of castor sugar, and spoon in heaps on top.;