Deck the Halls - Fa la la la la - 2009

[lashbear]

Deck the halls with bowels of folly, fa la la la la la etc etc etc..

So, have you started yet? what are you doing with your boughs this year? Are they regular?
We've made the Christmas Pudding 2009 and it is currently boiling in a puddin' cloth.

That's about all our prep so far...

Oh, the recipe:

250 g Currant
250 g Sultanas
125 g Raisins
125 g Mixed peel
62-1/2 g Slivered Almonds
250 g Butter
250 g Brown sugar
4-1/2 Eggs
1/2 cup Brandy
125 g Breadcrumbs
125 g Plain flour
pinch Salt
1/2 tsp Bicarb
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Mixed spice

• Clean and prepare all the fruit, chop the peel finely.
• Have a LARGE boiler ready with boiling water.
• Cream the butter and sugar, add the beaten eggs and brandy.
• Stir the fruit in.
• Add breadcrumbs, sifted flour, salt, bicarb, nutmeg and spice.
• Stir well together, making sure everyone gets a stir for luck.
• Boil a 70cm x 70cm Pudding cloth (Calico) then spread out on bench and finely sift additional flour over surface till covered.
• Place cloth in basin, and pour pudding batter in. Gather cloth and tie with string, allowing a little room for expansion.
• Place in boiling water and boil for 3 hours.
• Remove from water and hang overnight to dry.
• Next day, pour OverProof Rum over calico to disinfect, and hang in a cool dry place until needed (2-3 weeks recommended.)
• Boil pudding a further 2 hours on the puddin'-eatin' day. Serve with Hard Sauce (Brandy, Sugar and Butter creamed toether) or custard.