Microwave Christmas Pudding - MS Word document for downloading

The last Sunday before Advent is Stir-up Sunday, and has come to be accepted as the day when people “stir up” the Christmas Puddings. It takes its name from the traditional prayer for the day, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. I’ll add the photograph after I have made the Pudding on Sunday.

Christmas Pudding recipes often rely on steaming for hours, usually 4-8. Sufficient reason alone to go and buy one! Here’s a delicious recipe that can be cooked on the day in about 10 minutes, or made a month before and reheated. This recipe is from a “BBC Good Food reader”, Anne Payne. Yes, it does take a while to measure out the ingredients, but as you will see, this is done in two stages. If time is really short, use 270g (10oz) mixed dried fruit, instead of measuring the currants, raisins and sultanas separately.

It is traditional to flambé the pudding with brandy. I read recently that Fanny Craddock advised using vodka instead, because it burns for longer. Put the vodka (about 125ml (4 fl oz) in a small pan and warm on the hob. Light it, pour it over the pudding and carry ceremoniously to the table. I think we’ll try it this year!

The cooking instructions are for a 750w microwave.

Serves 8-10

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Brandy Butter or Rum Butter - MS Word document for downloading

For some reason (probably because I prefer brandy!), we always have Brandy Butter with the Mince Pies and Christmas Pudding. You can just substitute rum, if you want to. I usually make it using an electric hand whisk.

I have tried a few recipes and have three to offer you. If you don’t know which to try, make up one that uses the type of sugar you already have, or are buying for some other dish. The amount of brandy or rum is a guide only - you can have great family fun with everyone tasting and probably shouting “more!” The recipes say these quantities are for 6-8 people. That may be enough for the Christmas Pud, but you may want to double the quantity to have some for the mince pies!

You can store it in the fridge for two weeks, or three months in the freezer. As I like to get everything organised beforehand, I take the butter out of the freezer on Christmas Eve and leave in the fridge overnight. Read more »

Gingerbread Tray Bake - MS Word Document for downloading

I am going to give you two recipes, both of which are delicious. I find it really annoying if I don’t have the size of tin suggested, so I’m trying to be helpful here. These recipes simply use different sizes of tins and slightly different quantities and ingredients. Successful cake making depends on accurate measuring of ingredients, as well as using sizes of tins suggested, with careful timing at the correct temperature.

During baking, the gingerbread mixture will rise in the middle and then sink. If you don’t want people to see that part, cut it out before serving and freeze it. I’ll give you a pudding recipe shortly which will make excellent use of this lovely slightly gooey part.

The first is the Gingerbread Tray Bake we made at school on Thursday for Presentation Evening. So many people commented on how delicious it was and asked for the recipe, urgently, to make over half- term! (I hadn’t planned to introduce cakes just yet, so didn’t photograph them!) Gingerbreads are usually best stored for a day or two before eating. This one can be eaten straight away. It can be served with or without icing and is perfect for a packed lunch. This recipe is from “Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cake Book”.

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