I used an old family recipe from my Irish grandmother which I remember watching her make when I was a little girl. She would let me stir the pudding for luck. As I grew older, the making of the pudding was handed to me when my grandmother was too frail, and then she would watch me make it. After my mother died and when I moved overseas my Dad took over the puding-making and so wrote the recipe out again as the old one was almost illegible. His contribution came in the form of alcoholic content (he was well qualified), as is evidenced by his careful notes that the fruit had to be soaked in rum. Dad died a few years ago, but last year I went home for Christmas, and my brother and I decided to resurrect the family pudding. We had great fun shopping for the exact ingredients in the recipe, including Captain Morgan's Jamaican rum.
So making this pudding has lovely memories for me, and it really does feel like a family tradition is being kept alive. I know my sister and other brother all make it for their families too.
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| The family Christmas pudding |
The most time-consuming part, however, is wrapping the darn thing up in paper and foil so it doesn't get water logged whilst steaming. And on your own is a devil of a job!
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| Pudding sealed and ready for the pot |
I don't have a traditional family cake recipe but have used this one for a couple of years now (usually because I make it Christmas Eve!) but the Christmas cake from The Australian Women's Weekly, Cakes & Cupcakes, is quick and really delicious. I somehow only managed one photo when I made this but the cake is still in its wrapper and I'll post more photos when it's iced yet.
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| Christmas cake |
Guess who's feeling extremely smug, then?
