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).

me!!!!!!

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.

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.......!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!).

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.

Peel [barf]

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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?

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.

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.

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