Patti's Christmas Pudding (with added pineapple)

Patti Middlebrook generously tutored an enthusiastic group of six aspiring Christmas pudding cooks in her kitchen at Bandon Grove NSW. She taught us how to make Mabel Muddle's famous recipe using intuition and "feeling". My favourite story that Patti told was of gathering the children around when she makes her pudding each year so they each have a stir, making the process and product even more meaningful, Anne.

Christmas Pudding (Mabel Muddle’s recipe)

2 cups brown sugar; 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I used gluten free fresh breadcrumbs); 2 cups plain flour (I used gluten free plain flour); 1 kg mixed fruit that you have already soaked overnight with 3 tblsp sherry or brandy; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1 small tsp bicarb soda; 6–8 eggs (I used 7 eggs); ¾ lb (350g) marg or butter; 1 tsp allspice; pinch salt

Soak fruit overnight with sherry or brandy. Cream butter and sugar then add eggs one at a time (take your time and mix thoroughly between each egg).

Meantime get flow ready, put sifted flour and spices, then mix breadcrumbs into fruit, then creamed mixture into fruit. Lastly add flour. (Best worked by hand).

Cook’s note: If the mix is too dry add a little black tea.

This pudding is quite big, you can cut in half to make 2 small ones.

Cloths put in colander, then greaseproof paper, dust with flour, put mixture in cloth, tie up so no water can get in.

Boil fast for 3 hours.

Cook's note: Place a plate (Patti uses an enamel one) in the bottom of the pot to prevent the pudding from catching on the bottom.

Lift the pudding out of the water, undo the string immediately and upturn the pudding onto a plate. Soak the calico in water straight away so bits of the pudding don't stick, it can then be washed and used again next year.

This is where I slipped some crystallised pineapple into the mix!

Before serving tip on some brandy (not too much!!!)  and light with a match - or a mini blow torch!!! Anne

"Is it alight?"

And, it was delicious!

Patti's daughter, Tracy Parish held a very successful soy candle making workshop at Bandon Grove Hall generously giving her time and the money raised for the renovations of the Hall. Thanks Tracy we all had a wonderful time and are looking forward to your natural soap making workshop next year! Guess what scent I used in the candles I made. Pineapple of course! Anne