"Hallo. A great deal of steam. The pudding was out of the copper. A smell like a washing-day. That was the cloth. A smell like an eating-house and a pastry cook's next door to each other, with a laundress's next door to that. That was the pudding. In half a minute Mrs Cratchit entered -- flushed, but smiling proudly -- with the pudding, like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top."What many don’t know is that Mrs. Crachit’s pudding had probably been hanging (quite literally) around the house for weeks, or even months. Traditionally Christmas puddings were steamed in pudding bags (at least 6 weeks before the big day) and then hung to dry which is said to enhance the flavors. Those who make their puddings in basins can just cover them well and keep them in a cool, dry, dark place until they are ready to be eaten (at which point they should be boiled for another couple of hours beforehand). As an American, this all strikes me as rather odd but apparently the ingredients keep very well and there are even people who make their annual pudding as much as a year in advance. That being said, one recipe I saw recommends that you should check your pudding weekly for mold (in which case you should move it to a dryer spot).Unless you already have a pudding sitting in the bottom of a closet (or hanging out on the clothes line), it's too late for this year. Luckily, most puddings don’t require nearly this much preparation. For a delicious English pudding that takes less than an hour to prepare, try this recipe for my friend Sophy’s Queen of Puddings!Queen of PuddingsIngredients-3 oz. fresh white bread crumbs (they do not need to be dried out)-3 egg whites and 3 egg yolks-1 pint of whole milk-1 cup sugar-1 oz. butter-Grated rind of half a lemon-3 tablespoons of jam (either raspberry or strawberry)Directions1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).2. Butter a 9” x 9” ovenproof dish and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the bottom.3. Beat the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar.4. Put the milk, butter and grated lemon rind in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil.5. Cool for a few minutes and then pour slowly into the egg yolks, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth.6. Pour the mixture over the bread crumbs and leave to soak for 15 minutes.7. Put the dish in a roasting tin that has been half-filled with hot water and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly set.8. Warm up the jam (in a sauce pan or in the microwave) and spread it over the custard.9. Whisk the egg whites until they begin to form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until the whites are stiff and glossy.10. Pile the meringue on top of the jam, sprinkle with extra sugar and bake for another 15-20 minutes (until meringue is crisp and lightly browned).Read more of Johanna's thoughts on food at: http://www.barcelonabites.com
World of mouth: the proof is in the pudding
The column that brings you food festivals from around the world; this week find out why the English are crazy for this traditional dessert.
"Hallo. A great deal of steam. The pudding was out of the copper. A smell like a washing-day. That was the cloth. A smell like an eating-house and a pastry cook's next door to each other, with a laundress's next door to that. That was the pudding. In half a minute Mrs Cratchit entered -- flushed, but smiling proudly -- with the pudding, like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top."What many don’t know is that Mrs. Crachit’s pudding had probably been hanging (quite literally) around the house for weeks, or even months. Traditionally Christmas puddings were steamed in pudding bags (at least 6 weeks before the big day) and then hung to dry which is said to enhance the flavors. Those who make their puddings in basins can just cover them well and keep them in a cool, dry, dark place until they are ready to be eaten (at which point they should be boiled for another couple of hours beforehand). As an American, this all strikes me as rather odd but apparently the ingredients keep very well and there are even people who make their annual pudding as much as a year in advance. That being said, one recipe I saw recommends that you should check your pudding weekly for mold (in which case you should move it to a dryer spot).Unless you already have a pudding sitting in the bottom of a closet (or hanging out on the clothes line), it's too late for this year. Luckily, most puddings don’t require nearly this much preparation. For a delicious English pudding that takes less than an hour to prepare, try this recipe for my friend Sophy’s Queen of Puddings!Queen of PuddingsIngredients-3 oz. fresh white bread crumbs (they do not need to be dried out)-3 egg whites and 3 egg yolks-1 pint of whole milk-1 cup sugar-1 oz. butter-Grated rind of half a lemon-3 tablespoons of jam (either raspberry or strawberry)Directions1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).2. Butter a 9” x 9” ovenproof dish and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the bottom.3. Beat the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar.4. Put the milk, butter and grated lemon rind in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil.5. Cool for a few minutes and then pour slowly into the egg yolks, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth.6. Pour the mixture over the bread crumbs and leave to soak for 15 minutes.7. Put the dish in a roasting tin that has been half-filled with hot water and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly set.8. Warm up the jam (in a sauce pan or in the microwave) and spread it over the custard.9. Whisk the egg whites until they begin to form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until the whites are stiff and glossy.10. Pile the meringue on top of the jam, sprinkle with extra sugar and bake for another 15-20 minutes (until meringue is crisp and lightly browned).Read more of Johanna's thoughts on food at: http://www.barcelonabites.com