Quick Christmas Pudding

6 oz self-raising flour
1 jar Robertson's English mincemeat

Method: Mix together with one beaten egg and a little milk.

Place in greased basin and stand in boiling water. Steam 2-2&1/2 hours. Serve with custard.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Fund Recipe Book (Kurralta Park: Colour Printing House Pty. Ltd., c.1985), p.63.

Instant Christmas Cake

Layer one:
1 pkt. strawberry instant pudding mixed with 1 cup milk. Add 1 cup softened icecream and 1/2 cup chopped glace cherries. Place in foil lined container e.g. pudding bowl, loaf tin. Put in freezer while preparing next layer.

Layer two:
1 pkt. chocolate instant pudding mixed with 1 cup milk. Add 1 cup softened icecream & 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Place on top of strawberry layer.

Layer 3:
1 pkt. vanilla instant pudding mixed with 1 cup milk. Add 1 cup softened icecream & 1/2 cup mixed fruit (rum soaked optional). Place on chocolate layer, freeze. Turn out and decorate.

Source: contributed by Sue Codrington in Angaston Kindergarten Jubilee Cookery Book 1955-1985. 1986 edition (Angaston, 1986), p.65.

Bottled Christmas Pudding

1 lb. butter, 1 lb. dark sugar, 1&1/2 lbs. sultanas, 1&1/2 lbs. seeded raisins, 1/2 lb. mixed peel, 4 oz. almonds, 14 oz. breadcrumbs, 10 oz. plain flour, 2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. all spice, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. soda, 2 tbsp. brandy, 8 eggs, 1/2 cup milk.

Method: Beat butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beat well, add dry ingredients, then brandy and milk. Fill (No. 31) preserve jars two thirds full, put rings, lids and clips on. Stand jars in sterilizer. Fill with cold water three parts up jars and bring gently to the boil, keep boiling for 8 hrs. This mixture fills 8 jars. When wanting to use stand jar in saucepan of hot water for one hour. Serve with custard, cream or icecream.

Source: contributed by Mrs G. Sandercock in Urania Methodist Guild Cookery Book. Book II. (1965), p.37.

Economical Plum Pudding

2 large cups fresh breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup mixed fruit, 1 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp carb. soda, 1/2 cup milk, 1 Tbls butter, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp lemon essence, 1 Tbls sweet sherry.

Method: Combined dry ingredients other than carb. soda which is dissolved in milk, then added. Melt butter and add to mixture. Beat eggs and mix in with all ingredients. Place in a greased steamer, cover and steam for 1&1/2 hours.

Source: contributed by A. Arthur in Booleroo Centre Primary School 1885-1985 Centenary Recipe Book (Revised edition 1985 of 1970 edition), p.57.

Cold Jellied Christmas Pudding

1 packet raspberry jelly

1 teaspn cinnamon

1/4 teaspn spice

1 pint hot water

3/4 cup prunes

3/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup mixed peel

3/4 cup corn flakes (crushed)

1 tablspn brandy

Method: Combine spices with fruit and wine overnight. Partly set jelly, add all other ingredients, reset mixture. Serve with cream or ice cream.

Source: Recipes tested by time... Centenary Cookery Book from 1840 (The Historical Society of Woodville, 1980), p.40.

Preserve Christmas Pudding

1 lb butter, 1 lb brown sugar, 1&1/2 [lb] seeded raisins and sultanas, 1/2 lb mixed fruit peel, 14 oz breadcrumbs, 10 oz plain flour, 4 oz finely chopped almonds, 2 tspn nutmeg, 1 tspn ginger, all spice and cinnamon, 2 small tspn salt, 2 tspn carbonate soda, 8 eggs, 2 tbspn brandy, 1/2 cup milk.

Method: Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add eggs one at a time, add dry ingredients, then brandy and milk. Fill jars 3/4 full. Put on rings, lids and clips and preserve keeping water gently boiling for 4 to 5 hours. Add more boiling water if necessary. Water should be up 3 parts of each bottle throughout. Start off with cold water. Recipe fills 7 to 8 Fowler jars and keeps well.

Source: contributed by Betty Wiech in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.27.

Broken Hill Pudding

(use as Xmas pudding)

2 cups S R flour

1 cup raw sugar

1 dstspn carb soda dissolved in 1 cup boiling water

1 cup currants/dates or figs

little lemon essence & peel

1 lge tblspn butter

2 tblspns jam

Method: For richer pudding add sherry[,] mashed banana or grated apple. Mix all together & boil or steam for 2&1/2 hours.

Source: contributed by Judy McIntyre in Cook Book: St Joseph's School, Clare (Clare: St Joseph's School, 1991), p.69.

Banana Plum Pudding

2 large cups breadcrumbs

2 large cups mixed fruit

2 medium bananas

small cup sugar

1 teaspoon carbonate soda

1 small cup milk

Method: Mash bananas and mix with fruit and crumbs. Dissolve soda in milk and mix all well together. Steam 2&1/2 hours and serve with custard sauce.

Source: Memory Lane Cookbook (Rotary Club of Naracoorte; 1986), p.70.

Plum Pudding for Christmas (Eggless)

2 cups plain flour

1 cup raisins

2 cups boiling water

piece of butter the size of an egg

dash of brandy (to own taste) (optional)

1 cup sugar

1 cup currants

1 tspn. carb. soda

almonds/walnuts to taste (optional)

Method: Pour one cup of boiling water onto the butter and one cup of boiling water onto the soda. Mix well all the ingredients and steam for 3 hours or boil in a cloth for 2 hours. This is a thin mixture. (It can successfully be halved, and will serve 4 generously).

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.118.

Jellied Plum Pudding

1/2 lb prunes, 2 cups water, small stick cinnamon, 3 tspn gelatine, extra 1/2 cup cold water, 4 oz chopped dried figs, 3 oz seedless raisins, 1/2 cup sugar, juice of 3 oranges and 2 lemons, 3 tbspn sweet sherry, 2 oz chopped glace cherries, 2 oz chopped blanched almonds.

Method: Place prunes, cinnamon stick and water in saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender. Remove stones and chop prunes. Reserve 3/4 cup hot prune juice. Soften gelatine in extra cold water and dissolve by pouring on reserved hot prune juice. Combine prunes and gelatine with all remaining ingredients, mix well, pour into 3 pint pudding mould. Chill until set, overnight if possible.

Source: contributed by Vera Hentschke in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.25.

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Christmas Pudding - Cold

1 lb. lady fingers

1/2 lb. shelled almonds

1/2 lb. crystallised cherries

1 pint hot milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 lb. macaroons

1 pint sherry wine

2 tablespoons flour

1 quart cream, whipped stiff

1 egg

Method: Soak the macaroons in the wine. Blanch and chop the almonds, not too finely. Make a custard by mixing sugar and flour with the egg until very light, add gradually to the hot milk, and let cook in double boiler until very thick, stirring constantly. Cool, add almonds, cherries and the cream whipped very stiff. Line glass bowl with lady fingers, cut in halves. Add the custard, macaroons, cream, putting cherries all through the bowl. Pile cream on the top and decorate with cherries.

Source: The Possum Cookery Book in Aid of Miss Minda - Telethon (Brighton: Minda Home Auxiliary, n.d. [1960s - post 1963]), p.60.

Australian Christmas Pudding

4 Eggs, separated

1/2 cup Icing Sugar

2 tbspns Cocoa

2 tspns Gelatine

1 tbspn hot Water

2 oz dark chocolate

1/4 cup brandy

8 oz Glace Fruit

2 oz Glace Cherries

1/4 cup Sultanas

45g Honeycomb bar

1 cup Cream

3 oz white Chocolate

1&1/2 oz Almonds

1/2 oz Copha

Method: Finely chop glace mixed fruit and cherries. Place in a bowl, add sultanas, pour over brandy, cover and leave to stand overnight. Beat egg whites till firm, gradually beat in combined sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Gradually beat in lightly beaten egg yolks. Place chopped dark chocolate into top of double saucepan and stand over simmering water till chocolate has melted. Allow chocolate to cool a little then beat into egg mixture. Pour chocolate mixture over fruit and mix well. Stir in chopped almonds, chopped honeycomb. Sprinkle gelatin over hot water and stir till dissolved. Stir gelatin into chocolate mixture. Beat cream till firm and fold into chocolate mixture. Line 1&1/4 litre (5 cup) pudding basin smoothly with plastic food wrap. Pour mixture into basin, smooth over top, cover and place in freezer overnight. To serve: place chilled serving plate over top of pudding, invert, remove basin and peel away foodwrap. Return to freezer. Place chopped white chocolate and copha in double saucepan over hot water till chocolate has melted. Allow to cool and spoon gently over top of pudding. Return to freezer immediately - use a warm knife to cut through pudding if white chocolate is hard to cut neatly.

A pleasant change from the usual hot Christmas Pudding.

Source: Oodnadatta Cookbook (Oodnadatta: 1986), p.119.

Chilled Xmas Pudding

1&1/2 lb mixed fruit

3/4 lb sweet biscuit crumbs

1 tspn spice

1/2 tspn ground ginger

1/2 lb butter

1/2 tspn cinnamon

1/4 cup sherry

1/2 lb marshmallows

1/4 cup orange juice

Method: Chop all fruits finely and add to biscuit crumbs and spices. Melt butter and marshmallows over boiling water and add to mixture with orange juice and sherry. Mix well. Press into greased pudding basin. Chill. Serve with icecream.

Source: contributed by E. Randle in S.C.N.H. [Southern Cross Nursing Homes] 1st Floor Cook Book No. 2 (?North Plympton; n.d.), p.135.

Merry Christmas!

War-time Plum Pudding

Half oz. flour, 6 ozs raisins, 6 ozs currants, 4 ozs suet, 4 ozs brown sugar, 4 ozs mashed carrot, 4 ozs mashed potatoes, 1 tablespoon treacle, 1 oz. lemon peel, 1 oz. citron peel. Boil as usual for a pudding of this size.

Source: contributed by Mrs. J. S. Pearce, Kapunda in The Barossa Cookery Book: 1000 Selected Recipes from a District Celebrated Throughout Australia for the Excellence of its Cookery. Every Recipe of Proved Merit and Signed as such by the Donors (33rd edition, 2006), p.42.

Cold Christmas Pudding

Equipment Needed:

Large saucepan

Mixing Bowl

Measuring cup and spoons

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Serves 8 persons

Ingredients:

1 kg packet Mixed Dried Fruit

1 litre cold water

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3 firm bananas (sliced)

3/4 cup sweet sherry

3-4 tablespoons gelatine

Method:
Place fruit, water, sugar and spices in a saucepan and bring to boil, simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the bananas and sherry, put lid on saucepan and leave for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the gelatine which has been dissolved in a little cold water. Mix well and put into a basin or jelly moulds to set. Serve with cream, ice cream and/or custard.

Source: Quick and Easy Desserts (Kent Town: The South Australian Country Women's Association Incorporated, 2002)

*

And, a MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!

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Festive Semifreddo

Serves 10

180g caster sugar

2 tablespoons cold water

6 egg yolks

900ml thickened cream

200g Christmas pudding, crumbled

1/2 cup red glacé cherries, cut in half

1/2 cup green glacé cherries, cut in half

1/2 cup pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

1 packet edible silver leaf (available from Indian food stores) 

Method: Line a 1.5L terrine with plastic wrap, leaving some overhanging to cover the top.

Dissolve sugar in water over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Increase heat to high and cook for 5 minutes. Be careful the syrup doesn't darken. Then allow to cool.

Beat the egg yolks until doubled in volume then gradually add sugar syrup and continue to beat until the mixture is thick.

Lightly whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold half the whipped cream with the crumbed pudding and half with the egg mixture. Carefully fold the whipped cream mixtures together with the cherries and pistachios.

Spread the mixture into the terrine mould, pressing down well, then cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer overnight.

When ready to serve, invert the terrine onto a platter and top with edible silver leaf.

Source: A Taste of History Behind the Green Door 1909-2009, compiled for the Centenary of the Queen Adelaide Club (Adelaide: The Queen Adelaide Club, 2009; "not for sale to the public"), p.118.