Welsh Foods
Christmas Pudding
Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil
Christmas card from the collection
Mixing the Christmas pudding involved the whole family when each member, from the youngest to the oldest, would take his turn to stir the pudding and in doing so would cast a secret wish. It was a common custom also when preparing the pudding to put small coins in the mixture – the old silver threepenny or sixpenny pieces, and the lucky recipients on Christmas day regarded them as tokens of good luck.
Dowlais, Glamorgan.
The Recipe
You will need
- half a pound plain flour
- half a pound bread-crumbs
- half a pound brown sugar
- six ounces suet
- one pound currants
- one pound sultanas
- one pound raisins
- four to six eggs, well beaten
- a little milk or beer
- the rind of one lemon (grated)
- one large apple (diced)
Method
Rub the suet into the flour, add the other dry ingredients, and work them into the mixture. Pour in the beaten eggs, stir with a wooden spoon, and gradually add milk or beer to make a fairly stiff consistency. Put into greased earthenware basins, cover with a layer of greaseproof paper and a clean cloth and tie securely.
Stand the basins in water in a large saucepan and boil for about seven hours, keeping the level of the water just below the edge of the basins.
When required, re-boil for about two hours, slice, and serve with white sauce.