Rebecca’s Mum’s Christmas Pudding

This recipe is from Rebecca Varidel, one of Australia’s leading food bloggers. Rebecca lost her mum this year, so this is a tribute to her. “At least a day before you’d like to make the pudding, cover a tray with the dried fruits and mixed peel and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons dark rum”, says Rebecca. “This is not in the recipe but is something I watched mum do every year. The longer you can soak the fruits – days or weeks or even months – the better the pudding will be. “Growing up in Australia we ate this family recipe throughout our lives until last year, when we changed the focus of our Christmas to more local seasonal foods,” says Rebecca. “We made this Upside Down Summer Pudding with Panettone and Champagne Zabaione instead. That was the first year mum didn’t make our pudding. She passed away this year. Her death is too close and I can’t bring myself to make a pudding this year. Perhaps, we’ll make it next year. If you do I hope you like it. Merry Christmas.”
View Instructions

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

This recipe is from Rebecca Varidel, one of Australia’s leading food bloggers. Rebecca lost her mum this year, so this is a tribute to her. “At least a day before you’d like to make the pudding, cover a tray with the dried fruits and mixed peel and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons dark rum”, says Rebecca. “This is not in the recipe but is something I watched mum do every year. The longer you can soak the fruits – days or weeks or even months – the better the pudding will be. “Growing up in Australia we ate this family recipe throughout our lives until last year, when we changed the focus of our Christmas to more local seasonal foods,” says Rebecca. “We made this Upside Down Summer Pudding with Panettone and Champagne Zabaione instead. That was the first year mum didn’t make our pudding. She passed away this year. Her death is too close and I can’t bring myself to make a pudding this year. Perhaps, we’ll make it next year. If you do I hope you like it. Merry Christmas.”

Ingredients

  • softened unsalted butter 250g
  • brown sugar 250g
  • orange zest 1 teaspoon, finely grated
  • lemon zest 1 teaspoon, finely grated
  • eggs 4
  • mixed dried fruit 920g ( 13/4lb), plus 125g mixed peel sprinkled with 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • carrot 1 medium, peeled and grated
  • small apple 1 medium, peeled and grated
  • breadcrumbs 125g, fresh
  • blanched almonds 60g, chopped
  • plain flour 185g, sifted
  • bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1 teaspoon
  • ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon
  • allspice 1 teaspoon

Cream butter and brown sugar, then add orange and lemon zest. Beat in eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in dried fruits, and grated carrot and apple. Fold in the breadcrumbs, almonds and other dry ingredients  (this is where the original recipe in mum’s hand written book says to add the rum). Mix together well and allow to stand for at least an hour. Fill into a greased pudding bowl. Tie floured pudding cloth securely over the top (mum used a layer of baking paper, and a layer of aluminium foil tied around the rim of the pudding bowl – and over the top only).Plunge into boiling water and boil rapidly for 5 hours. Top up the boiling water in the pan as required. On the day, boil 2 to 2 1/2 hours before serving.  

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *