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Christmas

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Original poster

What is the Christmas cake that you steam?

30 replies

TimeForMy10thCuppa · 01/12/2018 00:08

So the caterer at work made a Christmas cake. It was amazing. I can't believe I have never tried Christmas cake before.
Does anyone know, what kind of cake it is? All I know is it was steamed for approx 3 hours, and had raisins in.
I have tried googling but it's coming up with iced cakes, this one wasn't iced. I will ask her Monday and get a recipe but I need to eat some before then.
Apologies for the rather stupid question and thanks in advance.

OP posts:
IamPickleRick · 01/12/2018 00:09

Christmas Pudding.

elizabethdraper · 01/12/2018 00:09

Pudding

zzzzz · 01/12/2018 00:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsEricBana · 01/12/2018 00:11

Yes Christmas pud. (They go in the microwave too!)

Original poster
TimeForMy10thCuppa · 01/12/2018 00:19

Damn it. I need to buy a microwave. Thank you. Off to hunt a recipe that doesn't require a microwave.
Out of curiosity is this the one people soak for months in alcohol? This is what always put me off. I don't drink and I always thought it would taste strongly of alcohol.

OP posts:
Spam88 · 01/12/2018 11:08

Oh definitely just buy a pudding OP...

IamPickleRick · 01/12/2018 15:14

Seriously do not make one, it takes forever and has so many ways to go wrong. It has suet in it, you’ll need a linen cloth and all the business to make it. Just buy a really nice one, you can get alcohol free ones.

Christmas cake is soaked for months.

Thewolvesarerunningagain · 01/12/2018 20:55

How about trying a Scottish Clootie dumping instead? Rich, fruity, delicious, but not usually alcoholic

3out · 01/12/2018 21:02

Love clootie! And, have to ask Thewolves - Box of Delights? (Love the BoD!)

5foot5 · 01/12/2018 21:05

Seriously do not make one, it takes forever and has so many ways to go wrong. It has suet in it, you’ll need a linen cloth and all the business to make it.

The only part of that I agree with us the fact it has suet in.

I made ours last weekend. It really isn't difficult but it does need to steam for 8 hours. No need for a linen cloth, greaseproof paper and foil are fine. I did the Delia recipe so of course it works. I did it last year and it tasted amazing.

MaidenMotherCrone · 01/12/2018 21:09

I disagree with the pp saying Christmas pud is a faff.
You don’t need a cloth at all.
You need a mixing bowl, pudding bowl, greaseproof paper and aluminium foil.
You steam it for 8 hrs (depending on the recipe).
As for the suet it’s not as if you have to slaughter cattle and collect it yourself..... less than £1.50 for a box at Tesco.
You don’t need a microwave either. Pan, water, boom Wink

SoftSheen · 01/12/2018 21:18

Seriously do not make one, it takes forever and has so many ways to go wrong. It has suet in it, you’ll need a linen cloth and all the business to make it

I disagree. Christmas puddings are not difficult to make, they don't (IME) go wrong, and you don't need a linen cloth. Suet is just an ordinary, inexpensive ingredient you can get in any supermarket. There is quite a long list of ingredients and you do need to boil it for 3-4 hours, but you don't need to stand over it! The fruit is usually soaked overnight in brandy, but you could use apple juice if you prefer.

SoftSheen · 01/12/2018 21:20

Also, you do need a big, deep pan in which to boil it- the first time I made Xmas pudding I had to rush out and get a new one!

MorrisZapp · 01/12/2018 21:20

DP is taste testing the top rated ones this year. I can confirm that Heston Blumenthal for Waitrose and M&S are both amazing.

Bananalanacake · 01/12/2018 21:25

My nan made gorgeous Christmas puddings. She made it days before and would steam it on the day. To serve she would pour rum on it then set it on fire. The alcohol burns, not the pudding. Then we would eat it with cream and brandy butter. I miss her at Christmas.

Thewolvesarerunningagain · 01/12/2018 22:17

3out absolutely! John Masefield was one of my favourites as a kid and the BBC adaptation with Patrick Troughton is compulsory Christmas viewing every year in this house :-)

JellySlice · 01/12/2018 23:45

Christmas pudding is dead easy to make, very flexible recipe and everything you need can be found on one supermarket shopping trip. You may even already have all the ingredients at home. You don't even need to use suet. I steam mine in the slow cooker. Always tastes nicer than shop-bought.

3out · 02/12/2018 10:09

@Thewolvesarerunningagain compulsory viewing here, too. I must admit I haven’t read the book though! I’ve just started it :)

Grandadwasthatyou · 02/12/2018 10:17

I know we're supposed to be talking about xmas puddings here but how can I find out if Box of Delights is on this year?

OneStepMoreFun · 02/12/2018 10:25

The alcohol one is the iced cake. The pudding is the steamed one. It's really lovely.

JellySlice · 02/12/2018 15:49

I put alcohol in my steamed one😋 🤪

zzzzz · 02/12/2018 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oblomov18 · 02/12/2018 18:48

You don't necessarily need a microwave. Many puddings you just put in a pan of water.

3out · 02/12/2018 20:45

Most recipes for Christmas pud are pretty boozy, but it’s not compulsory. It’s great fun to ‘feed’ your homemade pud every Sunday night though in the run up to Christmas:)

3out · 02/12/2018 20:46

I’m not sure @Grandadwasthatyou but it’s on YouTube if that’s any good? (Not the same as watching it ‘live’, I know)

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