Ingredients
Method
Mini christmas puddings
1.Combine fruit, rind, juice, jam and brandy in large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and stand in cool, dark place for one week, stirring every day.
2.Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until combined, beat in eggs one at a time. Stir butter mixture into fruit mixture. Stir in sifted dry ingredients and breadcrumbs.
3.Fill boiler three-quarters full of hot water, cover with tight lid and bring to the boil. Have ready 1-metre length of kitchen string and extra flour. Wearing thick rubber gloves, dip pudding cloths, one at a time, into boiling water and boil 1 minute then remove, squeeze excess water from cloth. Spread hot cloths on bench and rub 2 tablespoons of the extra flour into centre of each cloth to cover an area about 18cm in diameter, leaving flour a little thicker in centre of cloth where “skin” on the pudding needs to be thickest.
4.Divide pudding mixture equally among cloths, placing in centre of each cloth. Gather cloths around mixture, avoiding any deep pleats and pat into round shapes. Tie cloths tightly with string as close to mixture as possible. Tie loops in string. Lower three puddings into the boiling water. Cover, boil 2 hours, replenishing with boiling water as necessary to maintain water level.
5.Lift puddings from water using wooden spoons through string loops. Do not put puddings on bench but suspend from spoon by placing over rungs of an upturned stool or wedging the spoon in a drawer. Twist ends of cloth around string to avoid them touching puddings, hang 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining puddings.
6.Place puddings on board and cut string, carefully peel back cloth. Turn puddings onto plates then carefully peel cloth away completely. Stand at least 20 minutes or until skin darkens and pudding becomes firm.
Top puddings with a slice of glacé orange. It is available from gourmet and health-food stores. If the six 30cm squares of unbleached calico have not been used before, soak them in cold water overnight. The next day, boil them for 20 minutes then rinse in cold water. Puddings can be cooked in two boilers or in batches, the mixture will keep at room temperature for several hours.
Note
