Stir Up Sunday!!!

[bea]

Tommorrow or next weekend? The gloriously lovely dan lepard from the guardian says it's tommorrow!

Other websites say it's next sunday...

consensus please? - my wooden spoon is primed!! and ready to stir!

ahhh! glad i'm not the only one... the kit can be bought at waitrose... cake now in the oven, was going to do it this morning but it's been manic here today... swimming lessons, party and a trip to the fire station!!!! so just got in at 5 and stirred up, debated whether to put my special pudding charms in although i am making a cake, dh said they were rather small and he was afraid of a choking situation, so alas back into thepot they went... should have ignored him and chucked them in... it's not as though i wasn't going to warn everyone...

anyway... in the oven, should be done by 11pm!!! argh... oh welll!!! good luck all with your puds and cakes!

I've just rechecked Delia recipe and she does say 8 hours steaming so I am giving them another hour. Then if they aren't looking done I am deploying the microwave.

I did 2 delia cakes- was bit nervous as they went on same shelf together but they came out fine- only took 3.5hrs in fan oven.

Did 4 puddings but they were a total faff tbh, no steamer so balanced them on tin foil in massive saucepan, house is full of steam!!

4 jars mincemeat also ready to store.

MIL always makes Xmas pudding. I made Delia's cake last month and the mincemeat last year, still have a jar left. Made a tray of mince pies using the mincemeat today, adding some more orange zest and another glug of brandy for good measure, for the freezer. Also made 9 pots of pink grapefruit marmalade.

Will make some more mincemeat for next year when I have some more spare jars!

I had my Christmas jazz CD on whilst I toiled. DH wandered in and tutted.

Ooh, pink grapefruit marmalade y'say?

how do you make mincemeat? I always make my own pastry but use shop bought mincemeat. Lots of people I know do it the other way round.

Pink grapefruit marmalade is delish. I make about 3 batches a year as its not seasonal like seville oranges. Nigella's recipe from Dom Goddess, boil gfruit whole for 2 hours then chop and add preserving sugar and lemon juice. Its so much better than anything shop bought as its quite sharp. I give a full jar to anyone providing me with at least 5 Bonne Maman empty ones.

I use the Ballymaloe mincemeat recipe, and find its better after a year in store. I won't turn my nose up at shop bought, I often do a few trays using shop bought and as you asy make my own pastry, as IMO thats the dealbreaker. You can easily add extras to shopbought for a bit more zing but nowhere does good shortcrust.

You don't really make mincemeat, as its not cooked. Its just chopped stuff, spices, booze and suet, mixed together. In fact, its very much like Christmas cake or pud but with apples too.

I like the bartering of preserves for empty jars I had to resort to buying jars this year from jamjar.com after I gave away most of my stash in hampers last year. I should have put a note in promising sixpence for each empty one returned, or somesuch incentive.

The problem with 5p's is that they're small and unless wrapped in a thick amount of foil may get swallowed!!!

Yes tafetacat mincemeat is SO like the Chris cake and pud that I used to make a lot (Delia's recipe is good) let it stand in the booze after slow low baking and use the mix for everything!

Also georgimama it couldn't be easier that way!