DIRECTIONS

• Cut circular pieces of parchment paper that will just fit the inside of the lip of each bowl you will use for the pudding mixture, butter one side; set aside.
• Filling the cooking pot with the right amount of water:
  • Place each bowl into the pot and begin filling the pot with enough water to get to 1 inch below the tops of the bowls.
  • Remove the bowls; set the pot on the stove.
• Peel, core and cut the apples into approximately 1/2 inch cubes; place in a large mixing bowl.
• Remove the crust of fresh bread, weigh out 4 oz, place in a food processor and process into crumbs; place in the mixing bowl with the apples.
• Making the pudding mixture:
  • Place the rest of the ingredients into the mixing bowl with the apples and the bread crumbs, mix well.
  • Grate 1/4 of a stick of butter over the mixture, mix well.
  • Repeat until all of the butter is used up.
• Filling the bowls:
  • Prepare the ceramic bowls by applying butter all over the bottom and sides of the inside of each bowl.
  • Spoon pudding mixture into each bowl pressing down the mixture so that it’s compact; leave 1/4 inch of space from the top of the pudding and the lip of each bowl.
• Covering the bowls:
  • Place one parchment circle, butter side down onto the top of each bowl.
  • Get a large enough piece of aluminum foil to cover each bowl down the sides of the bowl by at least 4 inches, fold the sheet of foil in half and then create a 1-inch wide pleated fold in the center (see photo below).
  • Lightly press the foil on the top and down the sides of each bowl to get the foil as snug as possible.
  • Wrap a piece of string tightly around the bowl and just under the lip of each bowl.  Do this twice.
    • To make the handle: Take additional string, double it up, with one end tie a knot around the strings wrapping the bowl lid and then on the opposite side with the other end (see below photo).
  • Cut away any excess foil.

Cooking:

Christmas Pudding

• Bring the pot of water to a boil, using the string handle, carefully place each bowl into the pot of boiling water, making sure that the water does not cover the bowls.
• Reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 hours, checking every hour to ensure the water level doesn’t drop.  If you need to add more water do so then bring the pot back to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
• After 8 hours your Chrismas pudding is cooked, carefully remove the bowls from the pot and place on a rack to cool.
• When cooled remove the string, foil and parchment paper.
• Your Christmas pudding is ready to serve, however, you can wrap each pudding in parchment paper, store in a cool and dry place, until you are ready to serve it.
• Serve with warm cognac cream sauce (recipe below).
  • You can also serve this with whipped cream, ice cream or the brandy (cognac) butter sauce found on www.bbcgoodfood.com.

Cognac cream sauce (for desserts):

• Heat the heavy whipping cream, cognac, and pinch of salt in a small sauce pot on medium high heat.
• In a small mixing bowl beat the egg and sugar until “ribbons” in the egg mixture appear but do not dissipate quickly.
• While still whisking slowly pour the hot cream and cognac mixture.
  • This step is called “tempering” the eggs.  You are slowly raising the temperature of the eggs without cooking them and turning them into scrambled eggs.
  • When half of the cream and cognac mixture is blended with the egg mixture pour the egg mixture back into the saucepot with the rest of the cream and cognac.
  • Continue to whisk on low heat until the sauce has thickened.
  • The cognac cream sauce for dessert is ready to serve but keep warm.