It’s taking place. I’m in full-on Christmas mode—planning a vacation celebration, baking cookies to ship to pals, wrapping presents with glittery paper that will get all around the sofa. I’m like a hideous mix of Elf and when Frodo affords Galadriel the ring of energy. Welcome again to my Christmas Pudding Chronicles. There are solely two extra weeks till Christmas and I’m stockings-deep into curing my figgy pudding. This week is one other week of soaking the pudding, and planning the “laborious sauce.”
In case you’re simply becoming a member of me, that is my fourth week as a newcomer participating within the well-practiced custom of creating a correct British-style Christmas pudding. The first put up may give you context for the inspiration behind this yule-tide endeavor and catch you up on the best way to soak the fruit earlier than steaming. Although this spice-laden fruit cake might be made a number of weeks upfront, you possibly can leap in at any time. Learn right here to see the recipe and the way I blended the batter and steamed the cake.
Curing the cake with brandy and time
This week is one other brandy soaking week as we “treatment the cake.” As I discussed final week, you possibly can soak the cake with any high-proof alcohol, like rum or whisky, simply make certain it’s one thing you want the flavour of. This can be a utterly non-obligatory step if you happen to don’t imbibe (even when it’s meals), however I figured if I’m storing a cake at room temperature for 5 weeks then I’d as properly give it all of the sources it must stave off mildew, or different unpleasantness.
This made me surprise for the primary time, why is a Christmas pudding made thus far upfront? Truly, I used to be fortunately going alongside trusting the method, and one of many editors requested me, “How does a cake not go unhealthy after a MONTH?” That may have been the primary query to cross your thoughts when studying “steam the pudding 5 Sundays earlier than…” however you’d be a standard individual, and I’ll simply eat something with “Christmas” within the title.
In line with numerous different accounts and blogs, all this wait time has to do with taste growth. The dried fruits, amount of fats, sugar, and alcohol all contribute to a dessert that preserves properly. When you think about this contemporary celebration cake has roots in medieval sausage curing, and the model I’m making in 2023 began making appearances in Victorian period cookbooks, it’s not worrying. Curing a cake for 5 weeks or longer has been a protracted practiced custom. (Learn extra concerning the historical past of Christmas pudding right here.) Plus, American-style desserts are additionally loaded with butter and sugar. Are you able to consider a time whenever you’ve had one go rancid? Their largest enemy isn’t mildew, it’s drying out. Fortunately, with a cake that will get steamed earlier than serving, drying out will not be an issue for the Christmas pudding.
Brandy soaking once more
In case you’re collaborating in brandy soaking your pudding like I’m, take the cake out from its storage place and “feed” it with one other two tablespoons of brandy or your spirit of alternative. A intelligent suggestion within the feedback of final week’s put up talked about spraying the brandy, so I made a decision to strive spraying the alcohol as a substitute of utilizing a pastry brush. It positively labored. Nevertheless, I ended up inhaling plenty of the vapors and spraying the bowl and my work floor as I obtained nearer to the perimeters, so I don’t assume that is my favourite feeding methodology. It additionally impressed me to consider totally different strategies, so I feel I’ll strive a turkey baster subsequent week.
Subsequent week, I’ll be feeding the cake once more (a woman’s gotta eat, in spite of everything), and making ready the second most vital a part of this custom: the sauce. Go on, throw on some Christmas music and don’t neglect to feed your pud some alcohol.
