To consider serving a four year old Christmas pudding

[moofolk]

I am unsure here. I have a 24 month aged Christmas pudding that I have failed to prepare after cooking massive Christmas dinners for the past two years.

If it's aged already does that mean it's better when it's doubly aged or just out of date?

They're not wildly expensive so I don't mind buying another but it's been taking up valuable cupboard space and needs rid one way or another. It makes me feel like a failure every time I see it and it cannot still be here on Boxing Day.

Well prepared to get flamed here for my lack of kitchen knowledge.

Ha ha! I thought you meant AIBU to give a 4yo child Christmas pudding . I wouldn't chance it but I'm one of those that won't eat or drink anything even if it is a day out.

I thought you were asking if you could serve a four year old child Christmas pudding 😂

Its out of date. Throw it out

I read the title as should you serve Christmas pudding to a 4yr old child!
Has it got a bb4 or use by date on it? They tend to have at least a year (I still have one we failed to eat last Xmas that's in date til Feb next year).

Buy a new one so you have that in the cupboard if this one smells funny once cooked, and if it's OK you've got next year's ready ;)

I read it the same way as PP

I'd say cook it, OP. If it's got alcohol in it that will have preserved it. I'm pretty lax on use by dates on preserved things tho.

As long as the lid/pot is not damaged, I would cook and eat it (tonight, not for Christmas, just look on it as a bonus!)

I'd probably bin it (and not buy another...it doesn't sound like it would be missed).

Incidentally, what is the general view of serving Christmas cake/pudding to small children? FTM here...

If it's home made, it will be absolutely fine.

Shop bought, I'd be more cautious. Can you open it up in advance to check it hasn't gone mouldy? If it hasn't, stick a bit of brandy in it and make sure it is heated up well.

Hahaha weirdly enough all my kids loved Christmas pudding at four years old but then began to hate it!

I definitely wouldn't be posting about that.

It is out of date. Yes.

But if it's advertised as already being two years old that doesn't make any sense!!

People hate on grammar pedants, but here some hyphens would have made all the difference to the intended message!

Myname my two have had Christmas pud and cake since they were tiny - DS was only 1 a few weeks before his first Christmas. They both love it - late teens now!

It should be fine.

@Seeline

Myname my two have had Christmas pud and cake since they were tiny - DS was only 1 a few weeks before his first Christmas. They both love it - late teens now!

Excellent. I'm not a fan but think DS will love it and I wouldn't want to deprive him of it (plus I can use it to distract him and eat a nicer pudding myself without risking him grabbing it off my plate).

Some top advice though, maybe I'll cook it as a solstice treat and get another to leave in the cupboard for a year or two ...

It's not that I don't like Christmas pud, it's just that the last couple of years I've made massive dinners and simply CBA by that point in the day and have been drinking for hours while cooking.

Giving Christmas pud to wee ones I think is ok tbh. It's got sugar and booze in but it's not like they eat much of it!

I’m no pudding expert but I believe ageing them is like a bell curve - taste best after a while then starts to decline. At four years old it may or may not make you sick but I don’t think it will taste very good. I’d bin it honestly

@mynameiscalypso my DS7 has been eating mince pies since weaned and loves Christmas pudding - he especially likes the nutty ones 😋

@moofolk don't steam it, just shove it in the microwave - so much easier, takes literally 1min and consistency is the same! especially after wine

[quote VenusTiger]@mynameiscalypso my DS7 has been eating mince pies since weaned and loves Christmas pudding - he especially likes the nutty ones 😋[/quote]
So glad you said that...DS (16 months) has been having a mini mince pie as a mid afternoon snack this week

@mynameiscalypso

I'd probably bin it (and not buy another...it doesn't sound like it would be missed).

Incidentally, what is the general view of serving Christmas cake/pudding to small children? FTM here...

My DC love my Christmas cake! We’re Yorkshire folk so they have a piece of Wensleydale cheese with it too 😋

I would bin it, and I am not one to be fussed by all the use by date nonsense.

You can break it up and slacken it with apple to make mincemeat for mince pies if you're concerned it might be dry.

I'd eat it if it looked OK when I checked it and it's been well-wrapped. (And if I had plenty white sauce or a 'butter' to hand if it's a little dry.)

However, I am ludicrous about food waste and I know that.

I would just peel back the lid and smell. If it smells fine then eat it. Agree with pp about microwave, no need to spend hours steaming. I watched a food unwrapped episode where they tested a 48 old Christmas pudding in a lab and it hadn't gone off, so you should be fine for a few decades...

I wouldn’t eat it. Had a similar issue this year- Christmas pudding that has lingered for a 18 months past original planned eating.

Cooked it. Opened the dish. A film of Mould over all. Steamed mould. (not envy)

Is it in a plastic container? Think about the taste of bottled water after it’s sat for a year. I wouldn’t