THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2374, 15 December 1908, Page 7

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS AND * CAKES.

SOME USEFUL RECIPES

In spite of Christmas and* New Year being one of the hottest' periods of the year we still keep up the traditional custom of _ adding irich plium pudding and Christmas cake to our holiday menu. It is an old custom which 'we never allow the thermometer to interfere. No good housewife but likes to be before-hand with her Christmas cakes and puddings. Knowing, moreover, that they are much the better for standing a few weeks. The recipes hereunder will be found thoroughly reliable. First, may I offer a few hints regarding the cooking and composition of cakes and puddings: How to boil the Christmas Puddings —l. See that all moulds and basins

are quite dry before greasing them, and then use good dripping or clariL fled butter for the purpose. 2. See that the basins are filled to the top with. the mixture, and press if well ■down. 3. Have dean pudding cloths. Dip them in boiling water, and flour them before tying over. 4. Make a pleat in the doth to allow for swelling. 5. Let the water he bubbling violently all over the top before putting in the basins. 6. See the water covers them. 7. As it evaporates in boiling, add more boiling water, so as not to check the cooking,"which must

be performed steadily all the time. Pudding Hints.—l. (Muscatel raisins will give the pudding a richer color and flavor; they can be bought quite inexpensively if they arc loose, not in branches. 2. Candied peel that iis half filled inside with candied sugar is not economical, though it will please the children, and can also he used for ginger-bread. 3. Cheap fruit should he examined carefully to make sure it is not stale and sugary from last year, and free from tiny grubs. 4. Specially prepared suet saves much trouble, though the other ism referable for mincemeat, and df . ijpe packets of suet are used note that alley have no rancid smell or yellow tint. 5. Ready stoned raisins and ef.eaned (but not stalked) currants may now be purchased. G. When washing currants remember, if added ~ to the pudding when still damp, they may cause it to be heavy, and unless dried very slowly, they become dry and shrivelled like little bullets. 7. Plum puddings properly made and boiled will keep at” least la .year* if hung in a cod 1 ., dry place. 8. Do not put clean cloths on before putting them .aside, the grease in the one t?i£-j were cooked in makes a protection to the pudding. Fine English Plum Pudding.— Stone a pound of raisins; mix with them one pound of currants, half, a pound of minced candid orange peel, three-quarters of a pound of breadcrumbs, one pound of suet that has been shredded and chopped fine, a quarter of a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, half a nutmeg grated, and the grated rind of one lemon. Beat five eggs without separating the white from the yolk®, and add half a pint of good gra£ e juice; mix this with the dry ingi%clients, working the whole thoroughly until the mixture is moist but not wet. Thick in greased moulds, or small tin kettles; cover, and steam or boil continuously for ten hours. Take the puddings from the water, remcj've the ,!ids and cool in the hnoif/efe. Next morning the lids, may he reph^angjVand the puddings put asiftp fioana three, or four weeks, any But do not overlook New-'ft point that they Should Jr _„-m cool place. ® 'Nice Light Plum Pudding.—J.lb. Jib of sultanas, 4 oz of mixed candied-peel, 7oz of breadcrumbs, soz of flour, 2Joz of ailmonds (chopped fine), half a nutmeg .(grated), < one saltspoonful each of ground ginger, allspice, and cinnamon, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of baking powder, four eggs, two tablespoonfuls of brandy, and half a cup of milk. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs, one at a time, then the dry ingredients, afterwards the brandy and baking-powder; steam for six hours* Another Christmas Pudding (a much recipe).—One pound of euEgt, lib of currants, 11b of snltanas, flour, 51b of breadcrumbs. J-lb of nHUseateCs, Jib of Valencia raisins, Jib ofVscixcd peel, 11b Demanara suit gar, 2o§3&cfcron, 2, lemons, 3oz sweeit almonds, ToSniw A r£ e,r almonds, 2qz of butter, eight eggs, one nutmeg" one level teaspoonful of salt, a dg'n-y ter of a pint of brandy, a quartjir",; \ a -pint of milk. -Chop the yue ]y (taking care that it is ; firs JF t o' beef kidney suet), mixing it flour mid breadcrumbs as ysni cZc .c--stalk the currants and sultanas, stone and chop the raisins, and ■halve the sultanas. _ Chop _the .peel into fairly large pieces. the ingredients into a- -large basin with the sugar, grated' nutmeg, and grated lemon rind. Shell and shred the almonds, add them and the salt to the other ingredients, and mix all well together. Beat the eggs well lin a basin, add to them the brandy and milk. Then strain this into the dry ingredients and mix them well in.. Molt the butter in a small pan and .add it also. Have ready some well grease-moulds or basins, or if' preferred some pudding cloths, in which case wring them out dm. boiling water, then flour them well. Press the mixture into the moulds, cover them with prepared! cloths, arranging a 1 pleat across the top of the cloth to I leave room for the pudding to swefil. I See that the cloths are tied on seI curely. Put the basins in a pan with I plenty of. fast boiling water, and let I them boil eight or nine I hours. ' Keep the-puddings ill a cool | dry place. When required from one 1 and a Juilf to two hours’ boiling will ■be nemissary.