Mum's Christmas Pudding Sauce

[ElphabaTheGreen]

My DM passed away suddenly in March of this year, so I’m coming up to my first Christmas without her.

During dinner this evening, I half-heartedly mentioned to DH that it’s stir-up Sunday this weekend so I should get the Christmas puddings done (something I always did with DM and usually one or both of my DSs), then it struck me that the legendary sauce that mum always made to go with puddings never got written down. It died with her. I sobbed for half an hour and I literally have no idea whether I was mourning my mother or the sauce --first day of AF not helping matters.
--
So, Mumsnet. She called it Foamy Sauce. I know it has raw eggs in it because I had to pretend to eat it one Christmas when I was newly pg with DS1 and we hadn’t told anybody yet. It also has whipped cream. I’m sure it also has a slosh of brandy plus a shit-tonne of sugar. It was so good, she’d always ‘accidentally’ make too much so we could eat it by itself after the pudding was gone, or on mince pies. It was foamy consistency, hence the name, so I think the egg whites were whipped until stiff. Egg yolks were beaten with the sugar first, maybe...?

Does this ring any bells with anyone?? She wasn’t one for inventing her own recipes so she must have got/adapted it from somewhere long before I was born. She was from the US originally, if that’s a clue.

[CMOTDibbler]

It looks like it was canadian.

I wish I'd asked my mum about her special recipes before dementia had set in. So many memories are tied up in food

[MistyMinge]

Could it be something like this sauce on here?

homemadewithlove.tripod.com/Recipes/christmaspuddingandfoamysauce.htm

[CMOTDibbler]

More googling shows that your mum may have made a form of hard sauce - it seems to variably have cream and/or egg white

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Hm. Thank you, but no. It wasn’t cooked at all and there was no flour. She’d sit with ingredients and a hand blender and make it in the time it would take to clear the table of the main course and plate up the pudding. I think she creamed the egg yolks with sugar (no idea of quantities) and folded in whipped cream and stiff egg whites plus a slosh of brandy...maybe?

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Gosh...I wonder if it had butter in it too?

[foodiefil]

I've been getting recipes from my dear family members for a little while now and for my birthday a couple of years ago my aunt gave me her mum's (my dear great aunt who we lost suddenly) recipe book. Handwritten notes. I love it.

I really hope you find the recipe ❤️ I anticipate more tears if you get it right. Please let us know, good luck xxx

[Lunde]

Was it a foamy brandy sauce?
allrecipes.com.au/recipe/24206/foaming-brandy-sauce.aspx

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Snow I remember her watching a cooking show with Zabaglione on it once and saying, ‘Oh, hey! That’s practically Foamy Sauce!’ So, close, but it was definitely uncooked.

I’ve emailed my cousin (her niece) to see if any other branch of the family happens to use it, plus her ex-husband to see if he has any recollection of quantities and method.

Yes, I will cry again if I get it right.

[reallybadidea]

Could it have been eggnogg?!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

That seems very close Lunde and it’s an Australian recipe, which is where I was born and raised! Maybe she got it in 70s Australia rather than in her American youth?

[Apileofballyhoo]

No sauce ideas, but sorry for your loss, OP. Can't imagine being without my mother.

[Ttbb]

If you look up plum pudding and foamy sauce a variety of recipes come up.

[quince2figs]

Not sure, OP, but just wanted to say it sounds delicious, and your mum must have been a very accomplished cook. Do post if you find the recipe.
I am coming up to second Christmas without my Dad, and last year was much more difficult than this.
He was a custard man, btw. We used to have to make sure most of us had the jug before he did, as his dish would be almost overflowing! My ds seems to have taken after him 😁
I hope your Christmas is as good as it can be this year.

[quince2figs]

Hopeful bump for you, OP. If you haven’t found the perfect recipe yet, I may need to have a go. I am imagining the sauce and it sounds perfect.

[StatueInTheSky]

i was going to say sabayon but I have a fancy that that is more or less the same as zabaglione.! Spanish/Italian versions of the same thing.

I hope you find your recipe.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Zombie thread...but I've had a Christmas miracle!

Exchanging Christmas Day messages with my best friend in Australia and I happened to mention the saga of the lost sauce to her. She said, 'What, your mum's pudding sauce? I could have a bath in that stuff! I got the recipe off her ages ago!' And she sent it to me. 😭 😭 😭

Merry Christmas, you nest of vipers!

[Chasingsquirrels]

I'm sorry about your DM ElphabaTheGreen but pleased you have her recipe and can carry forward her sauce withing your family x

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Oh how lovely, hope you enjoy your Mum's sauce.

[TheGirlWithTheArabStrap]

That's lovely! I might have something in my eye.

[Lisette40]

Wonderful Elphaba. My Christmas revolves around my Granny's recipes. I'm so glad you have the pudding sauce recipe. X

[HolgerDanske]

Ohh how wonderful. Happy Christmas to you, and may you feel your mum with you as you make her sauce today.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Well I didn't match mum's cloud-like texture, but I can work on it. I stood in the kitchen and howled onto the kitchen counter for 10 minutes. DS2 (3yo) brought me a sticker to make me feel better which only set me off again.

Oh, sigh. Merry Christmas, DM. You are loved and missed.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Oh Elphaba, sending hugs your way.
I've been without my Mum for16 years and my Dad 4 years, it never goes away, but it does lessen in time.