In my previous “Traditions post, I shared “Katy Valentine’s Fabulous Fruitcake” recipe, which needed to be started before the end of October to allow the aroma and flavor of the Frey Ranch (https://freyranch.com) whiskey to permeate the fruitcakes. For the same reason, this recipe should be started in early November.
I am a type II diabetic, so I can no longer eat this dessert as it is way too rich for me. If I made this for my friends/family, I would eat more than my share as it is one of my four favorite holiday desserts. I believe that it is also the favorite of several of my siblings, but I am not sure if my daughters like it as I didn’t make it that often. I depended upon a quiet visit to my mom’s home, sneaking in the back door and stealing what I could before being caught.
I will call this one: “Katy Valentine’s Incredible English Plum Pudding”
There are three components to this recipe. The pudding should start early to mid-November, with the Hard Sauce and Vanilla Sauce made on serving day.
If you make this, do not forget to give Kelli and Neil Kelly a dollop of these three items for “taste testing.” This recipe was made for a family of 10 hungry children, so it should be scaled for a smaller output.
Beforehand, you will need to buy some inexpensive short nylon stockings as the pudding will be stuffed into these for steaming and aging. You will also need a container to seal the final product into for “Step B,” as you did with the fruitcakes. You will also need a source for 2 cups of beef suet or beef tallow, which is the rendered down fat from suet. Amazon and Whole Foods sell tallow in 16 oz quantity.
Ingredients:
Dried Fruits:
2 cups currents
1 pound raisins (seeded or seedless)
½ pound figs (de-stemmed)
¼ pound citron (candied)
1 cup of your favorite Frey Ranch whiskey.
Step “A”
Mix all of the fruits and whiskey and grind them in a food grinder such as the one shown below. I would grind the fruits two times to ensure they were turned into a mush consistency. Keep your fingers clear as you grind because ground finger is not an ingredient.
Mix together:
2 cups ground suet
2 cups sugar
4 cups bread crumbs
7 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cream of tartar
The ground fruits
Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly. Let stand overnight. In the morning, add 1 cup of milk and 1 tsp baking soda, again mixing well.
Stuff the pudding into the stockings, tying each off at the top. Then steam for 5 hours, ensuring that the water in the steamer does not fully evaporate.
Step “B” (BOOZE)
When the steaming is complete, and the pudding has cooled, place the stockings in the container onto something that will raise them off the bottom and then pour additional liquor into the bottom, but do not soak the stockings. Seal the container and then set aside in a cool location for at least 3-4 weeks.
The alcohol used before steaming and in the sealed containers will have evaporated and will leave only the aroma and flavor of the liquor of choice.
On the evening that you are going to serve the pudding, make the sauces.
Hard Sauce:
½ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Vanilla Sauce:
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp butter
Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
To serve, place a large dollop of the pudding into a serving dish. Add 1 tablespoon of the hard sauce on top of the pudding, and then pour a small amount of the heated vanilla sauce over the top and serve. Be careful of serving too much, as this should be considered one of the richest desserts made for the holiday season.
Enjoy, but remember to share with Kelli and Neil Kelly.
- Kelli Kelly's Dad, Earl Valentine, and author of “Identity – Dream Maker.
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