This recipe is from celebrity Irish Chef Kevin Dundon. Kevin also has the Raglan Road restaurant in Downtown Disney. He explains why he no longer uses suet in his Plum Pudding. Of course, you can substitute suet for butter as both are pure fat. Suet is the hard, fatty, tissue around beef or sheep kidney so is basically like lard. Brandy Butter is just another name for Hard Sauce.
Traditional Plum Pudding
Kevin Dundon, Raglan Road, Downtown Disney
75g/3oz/ white breadcrumbs
45g/1½oz plain flour
110g/4oz dark brown sugar
110g/4oz sultanas
110g/4oz raisins
110g/4oz currants
50g/2oz nibbed almonds
30g/1oz chopped cherries
50g/2oz mixed peel
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ to 1 teaspoon mixed spice
pinch of salt
Additional Ingredients:
110g/4oz/1 stick melted butter
1 orange rind and juice
3oz/75gcranberries
2 eggs
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl-includin all the fruit.
Add orange rind, juice, melted butter and eggs and mix well.
Place in a well-greased 1½ pint/850ml/3½-cup bowl.
Cover with two well greased pieces of greaseproof paper making sure there is a fold across the middle. Place a double layer of tin foil or alternatively the lid of the pudding bowl on top.
Place the pudding bowl into a large sauce pan half filed with water.
Bring the water to the boil and then reduce to a very gentle simmer.
Steam for six hours, making sure that the water does not boil off.
After the cooking time has elapsed remove the pudding from the water and remove the lid and greaseproof paper and allow the pudding to cool down completely.
When cold, re-cover as before with fresh paper and store till needed.
On Christmas morning, you will need to steam the pudding for three further hours. The process is the same as before.
Serve with brandy butter.
Brandy Butter:
110g/4oz/1 stick butter-softened-not melted.
50g/2oz/½ cup icing sugar
50ml/2floz brandy.
Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
Additional Notes:
Nowadays I tend to use Melted Butter instead of suet so that the pudding can be eaten by all the members of the family-especially vegetarians. It will still be as moist so don't panic!!
Plum Pudding
BBC TV, Mary Hendry
Preparation time 30 mins to 1 hour Cooking time over 2 hours
90g/3oz white breadcrumbs
45g/1½oz plain flour
125g/4oz demerara sugar
125g/4oz prepared suet
125g/4oz sultanas
125g/4oz raisins
125g/4oz currants
60g/2oz sliced almonds
30g/1oz chopped cherries
60g/2oz peel
½ lemon, rind and juice
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ to 1 tsp mixed spice
pinch of bicarbonate of soda
salt
2 eggs
1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Add lemon rind, juice and eggs and mix well.
3. Place in a well-greased 1½ pint/850ml bowl.
4. Cover with two well greased pieces of greaseproof paper making sure there is a fold across the middle
5. Steam for six hours, remove paper.
6. If there is any fat lying on top of the pudding leave it, as it will be absorbed.
7. When cold, re-cover as before with fresh paper and store till needed
8. On Christmas morning steam for three hours.
9. Serve with brandy sauce or rum butter.
