English pudding

English pudding is probably the only dish in the world for which a month passes from the day of preparation to eating. True, it does not concern all puddings, only Christmas traditional English pudding begins to be prepared almost a month before Christmas, namely on pudding Sunday, which falls on mid-November. There are several versions of the origin of this iconic for Britain food. One can only say with certainty that the word pudding itself comes from the ancient Germanic root, which denotes the stomach of a domestic animal.

Pudding in its modern form appeared during the reign of Queen Victoria and since then its recipe remains unchanged. As you know, its formation coincided with the peak of the glory of the British Empire and, probably, this fact also served to transform the pudding into a symbol of its power. The very preparation of pudding has overgrown with many traditions. Mix up the English pudding should every member of the family. Inside the pie, various objects with symbolic meaning were baked: sixpence (wealth), a ringlet (wedding), a button (a single life for a year), a bird bone (travel). Before serving, the pudding is poured with a mixture of brandy and sugar, and is ignited on the table.

When you gain experience in preparing an English pudding dish , the recipe can be varied by yourself, but for now you will have to follow all the prescriptions thoroughly. We prepare the pudding for six portions, this will take only 5 hours, and one more month it will gain the condition. It's hard to believe, but it's true. That's where the British have so much patience, we would at least have a particle. We have another upbringing - everything in the oven - on the table of swords, - but the English pudding - you will not wait until they are thrown on the table.

It is necessary to prepare 110 grams of flour (note the accuracy, would write another 113.5); As much white breadcrumbs, 200g of sugar (preferably brown, I do not know if it is available for sale, if not, then change it to a simple one); Heels of eggs; 200 g of beef interior fat (for our taste beef fat with sugar does not combine, I would replace it with butter); 150 g of rum or brandy (rum should be taken dark); 200 g of raisins without pits; 100g cranberries or dried cherries; Lemon peel from one lemon; Roasted almonds - 50 g; cinnamon; allspice; nutmeg; Honey (or better than molasses, only where to get it?); dried fruits; Nuts. That's why the British needed an empire to not bring all the ingredients for pudding from abroad. It looks like our gardeners, who cook only from what grows in their garden. We start to prepare English pudding. The recipe is taken from an old cookbook.

Almonds are crushed, pour cherries and candied fruits and leave to soak for half an hour. Now grind the beef fat and put it in the knocked-down eggs with sugar, add the flour and biscuits and mix the resulting mass thoroughly. In short, put everything in a cup, except nuts, dried fruits and honey. We need a form for baking pudding. Fill the mixture into the mold. The top of the form is covered with parchment, we fix it with a twine, and from above we cover with foil. Now put the form in the steamer and cook for five hours. Water will have to be poured from time to time. After a five-hour steaming, the English pudding will have to be cooled for two hours without removing the foil. Turn the form over to the plate. Now you can decorate it with dried fruits and nuts and pour honey or molasses. Immediately, as has already been said, there is no way. We must wait at least a week. And, in general, it can be stored for up to six months. In the fridge, I guess. If there is an opportunity to get molasses, then all the sugar in the recipe is changed to it, at the same time you do not have to bother with brown sugar. Before serving, it should be heated in a double boiler, filled with brandy and set on fire.