DOWNTON ABBEY CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BRANDY BUTTER HARD SAUCE

DOWNTON ABBEY CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BRANDY BUTTER HARD SAUCE image

Categories Cake Dessert Steam Christmas Plum

Yield 8-10

Number Of Ingredients 25

Ingredients

For the pudding:
1 cup white breadcrumbs
½ cup self-rising flour
½ cup chopped suet
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup soft dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups raisins
1 ½ cups golden raisins
3 TB mixed peel or finely chopped dried apricots
3 TB sliced almonds
1 small apple, coarsely grated
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
2/3 cup Guinness stout
2 TB brandy
Butter, for greasing
For the hard sauce:
2 sticks plus two tablespoons
unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 TB brandy

Steps:

1) Place all dry ingredients, dried fruit, almonds, apple and citrus zest in a large bowl and stir well. Combine eggs, Guinness and 2 TB brandy in a separate bowl and whisk together. Pour into the mixing bowl and fold in until well combined - it should now have a dropping consistency, but add a little more stout if necessary. Cover and leave overnight to allow the flavours to mingle and the mixture to thicken. 2) Next day, butter a 2 pint pudding basin. Use the basin to trace and cut out two circles of parchment - one the size of the bottom and one the size of the top. Line the bottom with the small circle of paper. Fill the basin with the mixture to about ½ inch from the top and pat down with a wooden spoon. Cover the pudding with the larger circle of parchment, so it is sitting on the mixture. Lay a sheet of foil over the top, doming it slightly to allow the pudding to swell. Tie a piece of string around the bowl, under the rim, to secure the foil in place. 3) Place a pastry cutter or muffin ring in the base of a large pan, and set the pudding on the ring in the bottom of the pan (this ensures the bowl does not crack). Add boiling water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer steadily for 8 hours, adding more boiling water from time to time, as needed. 4) carefully remove the bowl from the pan and cool. 5) When the pudding is cold, wrap in foil and store in a cool, dark place. 6) Before serving, steam the pudding once again for 2 hours. Turn out on to dish and stick a sprig of holly in the centre. Warm brandy, light, and pour it over the pudding. 7) For the hard sauce, Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until pale and smooth. Add the 10X sugar and beat. Add the brandy gradually, to taste, and stir well.cover and store in the fridge until needed. Serve very cold, with the Christmas pudding.