The Pudding...Oh the Pudding

 PLUM PUDDING VOILA 2015 (I adapted this from another recipe.)

"The pudding was out of the copper. Like a speckled cannon-ball, blazing in half of half a quatern of ignited brandy, with Christmas Holly stuck into the top" (Dickens)

 (Well,truth be told, I just do this recipe by eye and add extra  into the bowl and add the flour as I wish till it looks right…..my mother used to cook like that)

 In LARGE PYREX BOWL: 

2 cups dried cranberries, 2 cups Thomson raisins, 2 cups prunes,Slosh this with  an entire bottle of wine ( it will cook off and leave it fragrant)

Let sit for a few days.

 "Mrs. Crachit said that now the weight was off her mind, she  would confess that she had her doubts about the quatity of flour." (Dickens)

 I now know exactly what Mrs. Crachit was thinking.....how much flour to add. Add till it combines like cake batter.ADD: 3 cups  ( or a tad more) of flour, 2  cups bread crumbs, 1 cup ground margarine ( cold  to grate), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp cloves, 2 tsp baking powder, zest of lemon or orange, 3-5 large eggs, 1 apple chopped, 2 tablespoons honey.

 COMBINE: all ingredients ( with your hands).GREASE and line with parchment a pudding bowl, or  metal basin.

 "They were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirits torch."(Dickens)

  Plop in the pudding mix.( I find this makes two basins). 

 Seal with foil, if no lid, tie up with cottonstring.

 Place in pot with simmering water. I sit mine on a small cake donut thingy  so it is raised somewhat. You can use metal ring from mason jars.Boil  gently for about 5-6 hours.

 "I will live in the Past, Present and Future", Scrooge repeated. "The Spirits of all three will strive within me." ( Dickens)

 Add water as it goes along. 

 You just need to be home to do this. Time to quilt. Sew. Watch  the snow melt.

 After six hours. Let sit in pot. To let the boiling water settle down.

 Then remove. Take out of containers and cover with a tea towel to cool down.Let cool over night.

 Wrap and freeze till later use. Good with heavy cream or ice cream, or hard sauce. It is rich and wonderful. 

"Bell, dong, ding; hammer, clang, clash! Oh glorious. Heavenly sky....Christmas Day." (Dickens)