Festive Plum Pudding (Traditional Christmas Pudding) : American Version

The only indulgence during Christmas is great dinner and a special desert. In England this Plum Pudding served on the table and make an entertainment to whole family as the puds can be put on flame, created by burned liquor. This year we want to make our very own pudding, since we could not find this lovely cake in any supermarket in US.

The puds actually steam cake which rich with dry fruit and nuts. It took at least 5 hours to steam in steady or about significant shorter time if we do in pressure cooker. But unfortunately the one we've bought during Thanksgiving shopping frantic hasn't got low setting. So we ended up using as normal steamer.

The difficulty of this recipe remain on the key ingredients called suet or dehydrated fat. I have been around town to find traditional butcher, asked if they got fat left over from beef or lamb. But none of them got it as the Food Safety Authority said that any bits from animal should be go to garbage. I got the answer from local butcher that most of fat now went for producing biofuel.

We replaced suet with vegetable shortening which is actually even made this pudding vegetarian (the only animal trace would be eggs) and totally organic. We were bit exciting about making the puds and decided to double the recipe sent by Jean.

I have to admit we've already eaten some puds even before Christmas coming. Guess who did it?




Corbridge Festive Plum Pudding

Dry and fresh fruits
100 gr dry cherry
100gr dry cranberries
150gr golden raisin
150gr raisin
200gr dry figs
200gr dry dates
200gr prunes
200gr mixed apricots & jumbo california peaches
(Cut all those fruits in small piece)
3 little carrots, peeled and grated
2 cooking apple, peeled cored and cut in small cubes
2 bananas, peeled and cut in small cubes
Grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon

Flavor (options but taste good if you put it)
50ml gr Grand Marnier
100ml gr Brandy
200ml Oatmeal Stout (or any dark Stout like Guinness)


Dry ingredients :
230gr plain flour
2tbs baking powder
1 teaspoon each of salt: mixed spice; ground ginger; ground cinnamon; grated nutmeg.
230gr fresh breadcrumbs
460gr shredded suet (or vegetable shortening)
230gr dark brown sugar
30gr mixed peel (candied fruit peel -we were using citrus and lemon)
60gr shredded almonds

Wet ingredients (In a separate bowl mix)
230gr black treacle ( we mixed 150gr corn molasses and the rest is maple syrup)
8 eggs
a teaspoon vanilla essence
juice of the orange and lemon.


How to do :
1. Mixed together all the dry fruit and fresh fruit in large bowl with the flavor mix for several hours to let the liquid absorbed by fruits. Covered with clear film and put in the fridge.

2. Mixed the dry ingredients until well mix.

3. Beat eggs with molasses and maple syrup one in a time then add the vanilla essence and the lemon juice. Add into the dry ingredients.

4. In the biggest bowl you can have, take the drunk fruits from the fridge, together with the mixed ingredients. I suggest to add it little by bit to see how the consistency is. The level we were looking for is moist, but still having the texture.

5. Prepare the pudding basins (we use several pyrex bowl) with butter then pour the mix into the bowl. Leave the room to expand.

6. Covered with the aluminum foil to stop the water getting into the basin. Tied with string (we used rubber bands -not recommended).

7. Steam steadily for 5 hours. Let it rest and wrap for further store.


The step by step method of making Christmas pudding can be viewed at Flickr Set from minor9th

How to serve Plum Pudding :
Reheat the pudding by steaming at least 3 hours. Put cream or brandy butter on the top. This video show how to make brandy butter.

Being old fashioned : Carrot, Goji Berries, & Fuji Apple

After few days off from baking, Mr. C asked his favourite treasure, the carrot cake. I’m never made such a delicious one. I recalled the best carrot cake we had since living in Silicon Valley was in small café in Woodside. We enjoyed it with a cup of coffee after long walk on top of the hill at Los Trancos.

I flipped many recipes, then down to Nick Malgieri. The recipe was somewhat I called traditional, using real ingredients but keeps serving below 3000 calories. We do concern about bulking our belly. Indeed, I have been baking every week or so.

It turned out that recipe was not so easy. I have been predicted that situation, specially Nick did not mention about how long to whisk and the consistency we’ve need to achieved. Also I am bit playing with raisin. I’ve got two types raisin : golden and dark mixed together with something weird called Goji Berries.

Goji berries or wolfberries grow in Himalayan, which believed to have extraordinary benefit. Well, I am not too convinced but I discovered Goji Berries sold in small package. Yes to feed my curiosity I bought it and pour into this carrot cake.

Applesauce may be the most expensive here. That’s because I mistakenly bought a bag of organic Fuji Apple in Whole Foods. A small whole bag for 16 bucks !

Even though on the recipe said to use McIntosh Apple (indeed it’s not the Apple Computer but yes the name based on real apple), I found Fuji Apple really nice, a truly American’s treat. We did not get these type apples in UK. It’s crunchy when eaten raw, surprisingly sweet and smooth when it sautéed. The result was excellent. My carrot cake has lovely textures, fragrance with spices and slightly appley taste. Grated carrot just added the colour and blend nicely with the golden raisin I put in.



OLD FASHIONED CARROT CAKE

Makes one 10-inch tube or Bundt cake
About 16 servings
Adapted from Perfect Light Desert by Nick Malgieri & David Joachim



Ingredients:
Cake Batter:
2 ½ cups all purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup unsweetened applesauce *
1/2 cups vegetable oil, such as corn or canola
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finally grated orange zest
3 cups peeled and finely grated carrots, (about 4 large carrots)
1 cup raisins + 2 teaspoons Dry Goji Berries (moisted with hot water for 2-3 minutes)

*Applesauce (for making about 2 ½ cup)
1 ½ pounds Fuji apples (about 5 medium size), peeled, halved, cored and sliced
1/3 cup water


Making the applesauce :
Place in medium saucepan with water and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the apples to simmer in their own juice for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching that the apples don’t scorch. If the apple become very dry before they have disintegrated, add 2-3 tablespoon water and continue cooking until the apples turn into a chunky puree. Use a whisk or potato masher to break-up any large chunks.

Making the cake :
1. Set the racks in middle of the oven and preheat to 350F degrees.

2. Stir the flour together with baking powder, baking soda, and spices and salt. Sift once onto a piece of wax paper.

3. In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs and egg whites to break them-up about 2-3 minutes (or use hand mixer with low speed). Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar (until slightly foamy in hand speed for about 3-4 minutes). Whisk in the applesauce and oil (slowly with folding the batter), then the orange zest and vanilla. You will achieve dark chocolaty batter with runny consistency.

4. Use a large rubber spatula to fold in the carrots and raisins.

5. Fold in the flour mixture, being careful not to over mix. The batter will looked like between stick in the spatula and runny. Test it with drop a little dollop. It should be looked like rich batter.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pa and smooth the top.

7. Bake the cake for about an hour (60 minutes), or until it is well risen and firm, and a toothpick inserted halfway between yhe side of the pan and the carrot tube emerges clean.

8. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then un-mold it to a rack to cool completely.

Serving : to add a little richness to this, spread a slice with some reduced fat cream cheese, rather than slathering the entire cake with a very caloric cream cheese icing.
Storage: Keep under a dome at room temperature on the day it’s baked. Wrap leftovers in the plastic. For advance preparation, double wrap the cake in plastic and freeze for up to a month. Bring to room temperature before serving.


Calorie contains per serving :

290 calories
8 gr total fat (25% of calories)
1 gr saturated fat
5 gr protein
50 gr carbohydrate
2 g fiber
40 mg cholesterol
244 mg sodium

Just like in the book : A Fig cake for Fall

I made this cake to celebrate abundant fresh figs in this area. I went to local market and spot two different kinds. Mission figs came the name as the Spanish mission settled in San Diego to grow these ficus. Calimyrna figs in Jaoquin Valley California have more nutty taste. I choose the mission figs as it has bloodied purple colour, blend nicely with ruby port.

I did not find any problem since I decided to follow strictly Dorie's recipe. The only difficulty I’ve got that I have to scan isles in Safeway to find ruby port. I couldn't find small bottle though, instead I had to buy Fairbank bottle probably enough for 5 years!

As mention the cake supposed to be on the fall seasion, but hey.. figs already come out in California so what's the problem? Dad Gordon in Weymouth must be envy that we found lots fresh figs in the end of July while his tree probably still on the green stage. Keep it up Dad otherwise the squirrel eat it all!

I agreed with suessschnabel that this cake lacked of spice. But to add positive feedback honey that put in actually quite good to replace sugar. It turned out that the batter looked not nice (Dorie mentioned it), I kept whisking but the batter not even getting smoother. I thought the lacked of sugar could be result bigger flakes of cake.

The sauce I produced slightly thicker than should be. I have to put some more water, heat it in microwave for one minute and served with the cake. Indeed, nice to enjoy the cake when weather little bit cool.

Final result : just like in the book page. WOW!


A Fig Cake for Fall
from "Baking - From my home to yours" by Dorie Greenspan

3/4 cup ruby port
1 cup honey, divided
2 thin slices lemon
16 - 20 fresh figs, stemmed and halved
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, preferably at room tempereatur
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the figs and sauce:
Stir the port and 1/2 cup of honey together in a small saucepan. Toss in the lemon slices and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat, add the figs, cover the pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the figs are soft. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the figs to a bowl. Raise the heat and cook the poaching liquid until thickened. Set the sauce aside.

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and dust the insides with flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the butter. Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs one by one ( one minutes difference), beating well after each addition. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup honey, add the vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Jiggle the pan from side to side to spread the batter evenly, then scatter the poached figs over the top.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edges and remove the sides of the pan. Cool the cake to slightly warm or to room temperature before serving it with the sauce.

Dimply Plumcot Cake : aroma dari kapulaga hijau

Menambahkan kapulaga hijau di resep ini sungguh menambah harum. Saya belum pernah mencoba mendapatkan bubuk kapulaga sendiri. Dari bijinya cukup dikeluarkan di gerus halus dengan penggerus keramik ini. Jenis kapulaga yang saya pakai adalah warna hijau -jenis yang tidak sama dengan di Indonesia atau Asia. Kita biasa melihat kapulaga dengan warna coklat, berukuran lebih besar (2X dari si hijau) dan juga berkerut kulitnya.

Bahan disini agak saya mainkan sedikit. Gula coklat misalnya, saya pakai campuran dengan gula demerara yang lebih organik. Minyak Canola tersedia banyak di supermarket. Sedang buahnya saya coba ganti dengan plumcot hijau. Beda dengan plumcot merah adalah yang hijau jauh lebih kecut tapi secara visual tidak terlalu cakep.

Resep ini cuma sebagai pelepas percobaan fruit pies yang saya coba sebelumnya. Cake Fruits atau kue buah sedikit berbeda dengan faktor kesulitan menengah. Jadi ngga susah dan ditanggung lebih cepat daripada pies.

Dimply Plumcot Cake

- untuk 8 porsi -
Adaptasi dari Dimply Plum Cake Baking From My Home to Yours : Dorie Greenspan di Serious Eats

Dibutuhkan

1 1/2 cups tepung terigu all-purposes
2 sdt baking powder
1/4 sdt garam
Percik1/4 sdt kapulaga hijau bubuk (pilihan)
5 sdm mentega tanpa garam dalam suhu ruang
3/4 cup gula coklat
2 telor ukuran besar
1/3 cup minyak yang tanpa aroma seperti canola atau bunga matahari
irisan kulit dari 1 bh orange
1 1/2 sdt sari vanilla
6 buah plum dipotong dan bijinya diambil

Persiapan : letakkan rak di tengan oven dan pre-heat dalam suhu 350F. Lapisi nampan panggang ukuran 8in yang dalam dengan mentega dan tepung, ketuk2 ringan untuk mengurangi kelebihan tepung dan letakkan pinggan dalam lapisan panggang.

Campur tepung, baking powder, garam dan cardamon.

Dengan mixer, campur mentega dalam kecepatan sedang hingga lembut seperti krim selama kurang lebih 3 menit. Tambahkan gula dan campur hingga 3 minut lagi, lantas masukkan telur satu persatu dengan jeda 1 menit untuk masing2 telur. Masih dengan kecepatan sedang campur minyak, irisan kulit oranges, dan vanilla ke dalam adonan hingga halus sepeerti kain satin. Kurangi kecepatan mixer hingga rendah dan kemudian tambahkan campuran kering (no 1) hingga adonan bercampur merata.

Aduk dengan spatula hingga ke bawah mangkok untuk melihat jika ada bahan kering di bawah, kemudian pindahkan adonan ke dalam cetak panggang sambil diratakan atasnya. Tempatkan buah plumcot diatas adonan, dalam pola tertentu hingga buah duduk dengan manis di adonan.

Panggang sekitar 40 menit hingga atasnya terlihat warna coklat. Cek dengan melihat buah plum dan masukkan pisau kecil ke dalam roti. Jika matang pisau akan nampak bersih. Pindahkan kue ke dalam rak pendingin selama 15 menit -waktu dimana jus dadri buah akan masuk ke dalam kue. Dengan pisau, potong pinggiran kue melingkar di cetakan, gerakkan sedikit dan keluarkan dengan hati-hati. Biarkan kering dengan permukaan diatas.

Menyimpan kue : bungkus kue dengan plastik tahan udara dalam suhu ruang selama 2 hari, disaat kue menjadi lebih lembut dan sedikit berair.

Bermain resep : Silakan mengganti aroma di resep ini. Bahkan bisa mengganti dengan buah plumcot dengan yang lain. Ini adalah yang disarankan Dorie :

• buah apricot, irisan buah orange dengan bunga lawang/pekak (star anise),
  
• buah peach, irisan lemon dengan daun basil (kemangi) segar
  
• buah cherry dengan irisan jeruk nipis
  
• buah blackberry dengan irisan lemon, jeruk nipis atau orange