So, its Stir Up Sunday tomorrow...who's making their own pud?

[tulpe]

Who is observing the age-old tradition then?

I usually make mine on this day of the year every year - a family tradition I started the year DS was born, listening to The Archers omnibus........... This will be the first year I won't be doing it - on account of having no kitchen at the moment. Well, that's not strictly true. I have a room which will eventually be my kitchen. But I don't think the plasterer (who is working the entire weekend) will appreciate me steaming a pudding for 2 hours whilst he is trying to finish the job!

My pudding will be made next week instead in my friends kitchen (who has agreed on the basis that I am teaching her how to make it).

[OracleInaCoracle]

me!!!!!!

[ChippyMinton]

Me too. DD and I went to the supermarket at 7.30 this morning to buy the fruit. It's now soaking in amaretto (going for an almond & orange flavour this year) ready for tomorrow's stir-up.

BTW tesco have dried fruit, marzipan and icing on 3 for 2.

[tulpe]

Chippy - thanks for heads up on Tesco deal. Was about to go off to Waitrose but will now try and summon the courage to face our mammoth sized local Tesco on a saturday.......!

[ChippyMinton]

Might be worth it - 500g bags of luxury dried fruit mix for £1.29, either properly dried or pre-soaked. Good value on 3 for 2.

[CrapSuzette]

I'm doing it tomorrow, too! Just a quick question (and a really stupid one, probably). This is my first time and I'm really not clear on what to do with the pud after the first steam - ie, do I unmould it from the pudding basin, wrap up well and store for a month, or leave it in its pudding basin and store that way? Or does it not make the slightest difference?
Many thanks in advance for advice!

[Ishtar2410]

Leave it in the basin CrapSuzette. I usually strip off the foil/greaseproof, stab the top of the pudding with a skewer and put a bit more rum in. Then I rewrap in foil and greaseproof, ready to steam on Christmas Day.

For a number of reasons (specifically, I am completely disorganised this year), I shan't be making mine tomorrow, but it'll hopefully probably be done during the week.

[ItalianLady]

I will. I made my own mincemeat earlier today and that is now being left in a bowl for 48 hours before I jar it up. I have decided I will buy a jar of the chocolate mincemeat for the kids though as it sounds nice.

I need to nip out tomorrow morning to get a few more bits and then I will make my Christmas puddings.

[thumbwitch]

I had forgotten about stir-up Sunday! My Nanna always used to make hers then (and cake) but my mum was a strong fan of Mrs Peek's puds so never made her own.

I make my own (wheat free ones) at varying points in the year - last year it was 2 days before Christmas, which was a bit scary - but they still tasted yummy!

MDS - they taste fine, IMO. I don't keep dosing mine with alcohol though because not overkeen on heavily alcoholised puds; but my Nanna always dosed hers with brandy and hers always tasted grand - cake too.

[SoupDragon]

Mine may well not be made tomorrow as I've forgotten to get all the fruit and the brandy and i need to soak it all over night.

I shall, however, be making one. I use Nigellas Nonconformist Christmas Pud recipe from Feast.

[CrapSuzette]

Thank you, Ishtar!
I'm doing the Nigella Conformist one too, Soupdragon. What's it like?
Fruit currently soaking in Tia Maria (I've gone for figs, prunes, dried blueberries and raisins - can't stand candied peel!).

[SoupDragon]

It is utterly delicious! lovely and light. even the pud haters liked this when i made it the first time. It does, however feed TWELVE so I halve the ingredients.

I tend to put my own combo of dried fruit in, up to the weight in the recipe, rather than use her choices.

[SoupDragon]

Peel [barf]

[CrapSuzette]

Aha, that's good news - I'm a trad-Xmas-pudding hater myself, because of the mixed peel. This sounds perfect! We'll be feeding 7 adults and my 3.5 year old twins, so plenty for leftovers. Might trying mixing any leftovers into ice-cream - a friend of ours did this once year, and it was delicious.

[TeaOneSugar]

The christmas pudding recipe I use has to be mixed and then left for 12 hours before it goes into the bowl to be steamed, so it's sitting in the kitchen now, it'll get a final stir tomorrow morning and then go into the slow cooker for 12 hours. DD (6) really enjoyed all the weighing and mixing.

We're not making a cake this year, I can't leave it alone once it's cut so best not to have it in the house

[Blatherskite]

I made my first ever Christmas pudding last year using a Rachel Allen recipe and wasn't impressed so this year we're going for Nigella's Ultimate Pud from her Christmas book.

Thanks to everyone in the house coming down with a nasty bug, I've forgotten to get all the bits in though. Might have to do a special trip to Tesco tomorrow and at least start it on the right day.

[mummynoseynora]

ok - I have decided I am making a pud this year - and I don't even like them!

Anyone got a good recipe? I have just added some lovely dried fruits to the weekly shop so its a start

[SoMuchToBits]

I made mine 2 weeks ago! I always make it about the end of October/beginning of November. It always seemsto be fine....

[mmmmmchocolate]

I thought stir up Sunday was the last Sunday in November? So I won't be making it tomorrow, I'll have to make it a week late

[Blatherskite]

I just googled. Stir up Sunday is the last Sunday before advent - and advent starts on the 28th November this year so it is today.

Why does advent not start on 1st December then?

[SoupDragon]

ooh.... How do you cook it jn a slow cooker? I don't actually think my basin will fit in mine but I'm curious.

[domesticsluttery]

Stir up Sunday is called that because the collect for the last Sunday before Advent goes "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen". Not sure if the fruit of good works includes mixed peel

There are 4 Sundays in Advent. When Christmas Day falls at the end of the week (eg this year it is on a Saturday) then Advent starts during November as there aren't four December Sundays before teh 25th.

[ChippyMinton]

I usually reheat my pud in the slow cooker but haven't tried the first steaming. No reason why it shouldn't work - i've just done mine in a roasting tin full of boiling water covered in foil, in the oven. this is the recipe