Yule Recipes

Guiness Cake

4 eggs
1 lb. Flour (4 cups)
1 lb. Sugar
1 1/2 lb dried fruit
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 lb butter
1/4 lb cherries
1/4 lb mixed peel
1/4 lb almonds
pinch nutmeg
1 bottle guinness
1 lemon

Rub butter into flour. Mix wekk with dry ingredients. Add guinness, lemon juice, and beaten eggs. Bake in an 8 inch tin in a slow oven (275 degrees or so) for about 3 hours.

Yule Pudding

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raisins, chopped
2/3 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup soft dried figs, chopped
1 cup currants
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup brandy
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
grated zest of 1 lemon
grated zest of 1 orange
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup blanched almonds, chopped
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs

Introduction:

Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Preparation time: 5 hours and 3 days.

Step 1:
Grease a 2-quart ceramic mold or casserole.

Step 2:
In a large bowl, place all the fruit and pour the brandy over it. Stir well to disperse the brandy. Cover with a towel and set aside to macerate 12 to 24 hours.

Step 3:
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat the butter and sugar until thick and creamy. Beat in the zests and eggs. Fold in the fruit and almonds. Add the flour and spices, combining well, then fold in the bread crumbs.

Step 4:
Spoon the mixture into the prepared mold, press down well, and level the surface. Cut a sheet of wax paper 2 inches larger than the top of the mold. Pleat the wax paper twice through the center to allow for expansion as the pudding rises. Place the paper on top of the pudding and cover it with a twice-pleated double thickness of foil. Tie foil securely to the edge of the mold with string.

Step 5:
Place the mold on a rack in a Dutch oven or other large covered pot. Pour boiling water into the Dutch oven until it is halfway up the side of the mold. Keep water at a gentle boil. Steam for 4 hours, topping the boiling water to the same level when necessary.

Step 6:
Remove the mold from the Dutch oven and set on a rack to cool. When thoroughly cooled, rewrap with fresh wax paper and foil, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Step 7:
Steam again for 2 hours or microwave to reheat before serving.

Christmas Plum Pudding

1 cup finely chopped beef suet
2 cups fine bread crumbs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 pint flour
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup dried currants
1 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup citron, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
4 well-beaten eggs
1 tsp of baking soda dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water

Flour the fruit thoroughly.

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, spices, and salt in the milk.

Stir in the fruit, nuts, bread crumbs, and suet. Then stir in the dissolved baking soda. Then add in the flour.

Boil or steam for 4 hours. Serve with wine or brandy (which may be flambed) or any well-flavored sauce.

Based on a recipe from The Original White House Cookbook: Contains Cooking, Toilet and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-giving, Table Etiquette, Care of the Sick, Health Suggestions, Facts Worth Knowing, etc. by Hugo Ziemann, Steward of the White House, and Mrs. F.L. Gillette. Originally published in 1887.

Copyright © 1996 - the electronic Gourmet Guide, Inc. All rights reserved.

Christmas Pudding

Makes a dark and moist carrot pudding. Rum sauce and ice cream make it complete.

Ground beef suet........................1 cup 250 mL
Brown sugar, packed.....................1 cup 250 mL
Grated potato...........................1 cup 250 mL
Grated carrot...........................1 cup 250 mL
Grated peeled apple.....................1 cup 250 mL
Raisins.................................1 cup 250 mL
Currants................................1 cup 250 mL
All-purpose flour.......................2 cups 500 mL
Baking soda.............................1 tsp. 5 mL
Salt....................................1 tsp. 5 mL
Cinnamon................................1 tsp. 5 mL
Allspice................................0.5 tsp. 2 mL
Chopped walnuts (optional)..............1 cup 250mL

Mix all together in order given. Spoon into greased 10 cup (2.5 L) pudding pan. Cover with foil, tying sides down with string. Put in steamer with boiling water half way up sides of pudding. Steam for 3 to 4 hours adding more boiling water as needed. Serve with Rum Sauce. Serves 12 to 15.

"Company's Coming: Holiday Entertaining" by Jean Pare, 1987, Company's Coming Publishing Limited.