Plum Pudding (aka Christmas Pudding or Bread Pudding)

By Salty’s Pastry Chef James Gibson

Serves 10-15

½ pound Dried Currants
½ cup Brandy
3 slices White Bread
½ cup Apple Cider
½ pound Dark Raisins, Finely Chopped
½ cup Candied Orange Peel, Finely Chopped
½ cup Candied Lemon Peel, Finely Chopped
½ pound Walnuts, Finely Chopped
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground
¾ teaspoon Mace, Ground
6 ounces Suet, Ground
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
3 Large Eggs, Beaten
1/3 Cup Black Currant Jam

1. Soak the currants in brandy and half of the apple cider for 30 minutes. Soak the bread slices in other half of the apple cider.
2. Oil a two-quart casserole dish or pudding mold.
3. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.
4. In a bowl combine the fruit and nuts. Including the peel.
5. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices and add to the fruit mixture.
6. Add the remaining ingredients and mix for 10 minutes with a wooden spoon.
7. Place in greased two-quart casserole dish and cover with foil.
8. Place in a sheet pan with water on the bottom of the sheet pan so the pudding does not burn on the bottom.
9. Put into oven and cook for 4-5 hours. Keep adding water throughout this time.
10. Let stand for 2 hours then place in refrigerator.

Re-Heating Instructions

1. Place scoops of bread pudding in individual bowls and then microwave for 2½ minutes or heat in a water bath (like you made it in originally) at 300 degrees F for 2 hours covered.
2. Top with hard sauce and brandy sauce (Recipe Follows).

Hard Sauce

Makes 1 Cup

½ cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sifted Confections Sugar
½ a large Egg Yolk
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Cognac

1. Whip the butter and the sugar together until smooth and creamy.
2. Beat in the egg yolk, cream and cognac.

Brandy Sauce

Makes 1 Cup

½ cup Heavy Cream
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
½ cup Sugar
2 Large Egg Yolks, Lightly Beaten
2 tablespoons Cognac
1) In a small saucepan bring the cream to a boil.
2) Stir in the butter and the sugar.
3) Pour some of this mixture into the egg yolks one tablepsoon at a time while whisking to prevent curdling.
4) Return mixture to the saucepan and simmer, whisking constantly until thickening. DO NOT BOIL
5) Remove from heat and stir in Cognac.