I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!) but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Thanks

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 10:05:54 UTC+1, Rob Graham wrote:
My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

Either, but wholemeal is more likely to stand up to the weight of the fruit and give a lighter but more fibrous texture.

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

You can buy a ready made cake, inject it with alcohol, and then cover it with ready to roll fondant icing.

Owain

In article ,
writes:
On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 10:05:54 UTC+1, Rob Graham wrote:
My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

Either, but wholemeal is more likely to stand up to the weight of the fruit and give a lighter but more fibrous texture.

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

You can buy a ready made cake, inject it with alcohol, and then cover it with ready to roll fondant icing.

My grandmother used to make the family Christmas puddings, but she
died over 20 years ago. There were a couple in stock we used for the
following 2 years, but since then, I buy them (usually in a sale after
the previous Christmas as they keep forever), and from about a month
before Christmas, I regularly water with a suitable brandy or whatever
is to hand. That works really well. I flambé them on the day too with
hot bandy poured over.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 8/29/2017 11:20 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I flambé them on the day too with hot bandy poured over.


Me too. A lot of people don't know how to do it properly, I have made
sure that all my children watch and learn from an early age!

(Both for effect and for safety).

In article ,
newshound writes:
On 8/29/2017 11:20 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I flambé them on the day too with hot bandy poured over.


Me too. A lot of people don't know how to do it properly, I have made
sure that all my children watch and learn from an early age!

(Both for effect and for safety).

Yes, carrying a burning Christmas pudding in to the dining room is
probably one of the most risky things I do each year, but it seems
to be an important family tradition.

This reminds me of a letter published in The Times a few decades ago.
It was a thank-you note posted back from some friends in Kenya, IIRC,
which went something like this...

Dear Annie and Bill,
It was wonderful to hear from you at Christmas, and to know the family
is all doing well. And thank-you very much for the gift. We weren't
too sure how to care for it, but we put it in a shady position, and
watered it from time to time. However, I'm sorry to say that by the
beginning of February, it was clear that it didn't like the climate
here and was dying.

The "gift" was a Fortum and Masons Cristmas pudding with a sprig of
holly in the top...

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Huge wrote:
On 2017-08-29, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
newshound writes:
On 8/29/2017 11:20 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I flambé them on the day too with hot bandy poured over.


Me too. A lot of people don't know how to do it properly, I have made
sure that all my children watch and learn from an early age!

(Both for effect and for safety).

Yes, carrying a burning Christmas pudding in to the dining room is
probably one of the most risky things I do each year, but it seems
to be an important family tradition.

This reminds me of a letter published in The Times a few decades ago.
It was a thank-you note posted back from some friends in Kenya, IIRC,
which went something like this...

Dear Annie and Bill,
It was wonderful to hear from you at Christmas, and to know the family
is all doing well. And thank-you very much for the gift. We weren't
too sure how to care for it, but we put it in a shady position, and
watered it from time to time. However, I'm sorry to say that by the
beginning of February, it was clear that it didn't like the climate
here and was dying.

The "gift" was a Fortum and Masons Cristmas pudding with a sprig of
holly in the top...

We sent an Xmas pud to some friends in California once. Despite explicit
instructions on heating it, they sliced & ate it cold. They were too polite
to tell us how vile it must have been.



My grandmothers fruit suet pudding was almost pure suet and when sliced
and eaten cold you could feel it lining your insides! I loved it.

On 29/08/2017 16:14, Huge wrote:
On 2017-08-29, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
newshound writes:
On 8/29/2017 11:20 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I flambé them on the day too with hot bandy poured over.


Me too. A lot of people don't know how to do it properly, I have made
sure that all my children watch and learn from an early age!

(Both for effect and for safety).

Yes, carrying a burning Christmas pudding in to the dining room is
probably one of the most risky things I do each year, but it seems
to be an important family tradition.

This reminds me of a letter published in The Times a few decades ago.
It was a thank-you note posted back from some friends in Kenya, IIRC,
which went something like this...

Dear Annie and Bill,
It was wonderful to hear from you at Christmas, and to know the family
is all doing well. And thank-you very much for the gift. We weren't
too sure how to care for it, but we put it in a shady position, and
watered it from time to time. However, I'm sorry to say that by the
beginning of February, it was clear that it didn't like the climate
here and was dying.

The "gift" was a Fortum and Masons Cristmas pudding with a sprig of
holly in the top...

We sent an Xmas pud to some friends in California once. Despite explicit
instructions on heating it, they sliced & ate it cold. They were too polite
to tell us how vile it must have been.

They don't have them in the US. Or proper Christmas cakes. Even their
wedding cakes are sponge.

--
Max Demian

On 29/08/2017 16:14, Huge wrote:
On 2017-08-29, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
newshound writes:
On 8/29/2017 11:20 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I flambé them on the day too with hot bandy poured over.


Me too. A lot of people don't know how to do it properly, I have made
sure that all my children watch and learn from an early age!

(Both for effect and for safety).

Yes, carrying a burning Christmas pudding in to the dining room is
probably one of the most risky things I do each year, but it seems
to be an important family tradition.

This reminds me of a letter published in The Times a few decades ago.
It was a thank-you note posted back from some friends in Kenya, IIRC,
which went something like this...

Dear Annie and Bill,
It was wonderful to hear from you at Christmas, and to know the family
is all doing well. And thank-you very much for the gift. We weren't
too sure how to care for it, but we put it in a shady position, and
watered it from time to time. However, I'm sorry to say that by the
beginning of February, it was clear that it didn't like the climate
here and was dying.

The "gift" was a Fortum and Masons Cristmas pudding with a sprig of
holly in the top...

We sent an Xmas pud to some friends in California once. Despite explicit
instructions on heating it, they sliced & ate it cold. They were too polite
to tell us how vile it must have been.


Next time send them one made to the old-fashioned recipe, using
proper minced meat.:-) (Or send them a proper haggis).

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 11:48:46 UTC+1, newshound wrote:
Me too. A lot of people don't know how to do it properly, I have made
sure that all my children watch and learn from an early age!
(Both for effect and for safety).

Steering well clear of the paper chains hanging down over the dining table!

Owain

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 10:05:54 UTC+1, Rob Graham wrote:
I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!) but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Thanks

Either type of breadcrumb works. As with any recipe, make it before you need it, then you've at least got the chance to work out why it went wrong.


NT

In message , Rob
Graham writes

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of
her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no
xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

Rob, my sympathy.

Getting to practicalities, when I say 'we', my function is mainly chief
washer-upper etc., but we make bread crumbs from white bread (my job),
and use them for puddings and bread sauce, without which no Christmas
dinner is complete.

Regarding the steamer, we just use the type which sits on top of an
ordinary saucepan, and works perfectly. Exactly as used by my mother
and grandmother.

Re the cake, that is no more difficult than pudding, the only hard part
being mixing and stirring the thick, gloopy mixture. If the thought of
cake decorating puts you off, think simple. We sprinkle the cake with
icing sugar, wrap a pretty Christmas band around the cake and decorate
the top with a few plastic bits. Snow man, holly, Father Christmas. We
don't bother with traditional icing and marzipan, as none of us are
great fans. The important part is the cake itself.

--
Graeme

Corse it does instead of just buying it.

Rob Graham wrote

I know this may the wrong place to ask this

No its not.

( and the wrong time!!) but I got excellent bread
making advice from this group some years ago.

And plenty of other cooking stuff has been discussed usefully.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths
of her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there
were no xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year
when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed
down over several generations. Seems simple enough

Yeah, its not rocket science.

apart from managing the 8 hours steaming.

That just happens by itself.

But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows
if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

Doesnt have to be white bread but it will end
up a bit different depending on what you use.

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Its actually rather easier unless you want it iced.

On 29/08/2017 10:05, Rob Graham wrote:
I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!) but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

the breadcrumbs make it lighter than it would be with flour alone.
Wholemeal will make it heavier. So both possible but the wholemeal is a
bit "Grand Old Duke of York"

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

Rob Graham wrote:
I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!) but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Thanks


Just buy breadcrumbs ready made. Personally I think some of the factory
ones can be very good and save a lot of effort. Microwaving your own
reduces the cooking time to about 20 minutes IME. Suet dumplings take
about 3 minutes in a microwave and come out very light.

On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:


My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

White breadcrumbs made by getting standard real loaf (but not one of
the pre packed sliced soggy horrors). Slice into about 10mm slices.
If you have a food processor put the slices in and churn until they
make breadcrumbs. See below for drying.

If you don't have a food processor put the slices to dry

Drying - either breadcrumbs or slices spread onto a tray, leave in a
very low oven for a few hours to dry. For the slices simply crush
them in your hands to make breadcrumbs.

Don't forget to soak the fruit in Brandy, Rum or Port as you wish for
several weeks beforehand.

The puddings do not need to be made months in advance, originally they
were made when fruit came into season. Using dried fruits, as long as
the fruit has been soaked in alcohol for weeks you won't notice the
difference between a months old or week old one.

Also - spices - ideally grind your own but failing that buy some fresh
ground mixed spice each year. The bottles of ground mixed spice once
opened degrade very quickly (days or weeks at the most).

On 29/08/2017 15:43, Peter Parry wrote:
On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:


My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

White breadcrumbs made by getting standard real loaf (but not one of
the pre packed sliced soggy horrors). Slice into about 10mm slices.
If you have a food processor put the slices in and churn until they
make breadcrumbs. See below for drying.

If you don't have a food processor put the slices to dry

Drying - either breadcrumbs or slices spread onto a tray, leave in a
very low oven for a few hours to dry. For the slices simply crush
them in your hands to make breadcrumbs.


I agree that is the way to make *dried* breadcrumbs. But all the
pudding recipes I've tried used *fresh* breadcrumbs. See eg

http://www.waitrose.com/content/wait...eadcrumbs.html


But I ain't arguing with anyone's granny





--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:37:10 +0100, Robin wrote:

On 29/08/2017 15:43, Peter Parry wrote:
On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:


My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

White breadcrumbs made by getting standard real loaf (but not one of
the pre packed sliced soggy horrors). Slice into about 10mm slices.
If you have a food processor put the slices in and churn until they
make breadcrumbs. See below for drying.

If you don't have a food processor put the slices to dry

Drying - either breadcrumbs or slices spread onto a tray, leave in a
very low oven for a few hours to dry. For the slices simply crush
them in your hands to make breadcrumbs.


I agree that is the way to make *dried* breadcrumbs. But all the
pudding recipes I've tried used *fresh* breadcrumbs. See eg

http://www.waitrose.com/content/wait...eadcrumbs.html


But I ain't arguing with anyone's granny

Supermarket dried breadcrumbs are desiccated hard things made from the
cheapest Chorleywood bread they can get. Some are then powdered to
make the hideous orange stuff.

You can use home made "dried" breadcrumbs quite happily if fresh are
called for. The advantage of drying is that it increases the storage
life. The advantage of using a decent loaf is in the flavour.

On 29/08/2017 17:12, Peter Parry wrote:


You can use home made "dried" breadcrumbs quite happily if fresh are
called for. The advantage of drying is that it increases the storage
life. The advantage of using a decent loaf is in the flavour.

I'll leave you to tell Mary Berry



--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 15:43:17 UTC+1, Peter Parry wrote:
On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:


My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

White breadcrumbs made by getting standard real loaf (but not one of
the pre packed sliced soggy horrors). Slice into about 10mm slices.
If you have a food processor put the slices in and churn until they
make breadcrumbs. See below for drying.

If you don't have a food processor put the slices to dry

Drying - either breadcrumbs or slices spread onto a tray, leave in a
very low oven for a few hours to dry. For the slices simply crush
them in your hands to make breadcrumbs.

Don't forget to soak the fruit in Brandy, Rum or Port as you wish for
several weeks beforehand.

The puddings do not need to be made months in advance, originally they
were made when fruit came into season. Using dried fruits, as long as
the fruit has been soaked in alcohol for weeks you won't notice the
difference between a months old or week old one.

Also - spices - ideally grind your own but failing that buy some fresh
ground mixed spice each year. The bottles of ground mixed spice once
opened degrade very quickly (days or weeks at the most).

After that pudding you soon won't notice anything


NT

Rob Graham wrote:
I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!)

Cement mixer? Just feed it brandy with the hose, makes it extra moist.

Theo

In message , Huge
writes
On 2017-08-29, Rob Graham wrote:

[3 lines snipped]

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?


I doubt it makes a noticeable difference.

Bigger decision here is whether to add nuts. That said, it is white
bread, allowed to go stale for convenient mechanised crumbling. I
suspect crumbed bread can be purchased?

--
Tim Lamb

On 29/08/17 10:35, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Huge
writes
On 2017-08-29, Rob Graham wrote:

[3 lines snipped]

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?


I doubt it makes a noticeable difference.

Bigger decision here is whether to add nuts. That said, it is white
bread, allowed to go stale for convenient mechanised crumbling. I
suspect crumbed bread can be purchased?

It can.

Not cheap though.


--
"If you dont read the news paper, you are un-informed. If you read the
news paper, you are mis-informed."

Mark Twain

On 29/08/2017 10:37, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 29/08/17 10:35, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Huge
writes
On 2017-08-29, Rob Graham wrote:

[3 lines snipped]

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?


I doubt it makes a noticeable difference.

Bigger decision here is whether to add nuts. That said, it is white
bread, allowed to go stale for convenient mechanised crumbling. I
suspect crumbed bread can be purchased?

It can.

Not cheap though.


If you go that route make sure you buy "fresh" breadcrumbs. But they
are really easy to make from an unsliced white loaf.

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 12:00:04 +0100, Robin wrote:



If you go that route make sure you buy "fresh" breadcrumbs. But they
are really easy to make from an unsliced white loaf.

My Mother used to wait till Dad brought the Granite field roller down
the concrete section of the farmyard, A few dried out loaves wrapped
in a clean tea towel put in the way were reduced to a years supply
of breadcrumbs in seconds.
On a DIY theme those days being long past the roller has been re
purposed and forms the upright supports for the alcove that contains
my brothers wood burner.

G.Harman

On 29/08/2017 10:35, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Huge
writes
On 2017-08-29, Rob Graham wrote:

[3 lines snipped]

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations.Â* Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming.Â* But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?


I doubt it makes a noticeable difference.

Bigger decision here is whether to add nuts. That said, it is white
bread, allowed to go stale for convenient mechanised crumbling. I
suspect crumbed bread can be purchased?

Don't confuse it with packet breadcrumbs (golden or otherwise) which
don't seem to have been made from any kind of bread.

--
Max Demian

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 12:10:55 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
Don't confuse it with packet breadcrumbs (golden or otherwise) which
don't seem to have been made from any kind of bread.

And don't be tempted to substitute Paxo instant stuffing thinking you won't taste the parsley. You will.

Owain

wrote:

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 12:10:55 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
Don't confuse it with packet breadcrumbs (golden or otherwise) which
don't seem to have been made from any kind of bread.

And don't be tempted to substitute Paxo instant stuffing thinking you
won't taste the parsley. You will.

Owain

Not, surely, the voice of experience?

--

Roger Hayter

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 21:25:48 UTC+1, Roger Hayter wrote:
And don't be tempted to substitute Paxo instant stuffing thinking you
won't taste the parsley. You will.
Not, surely, the voice of experience?

Fortunately not in Xmas Puds but it was a bit overpowering in some savoury dishes!

Owain

On 8/29/2017 10:13 AM, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:

I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!) but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8 hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Thanks

Not answering your question, and not DIY (cooking or otherwise) but
the supermarkets do excellent Xmas puds and Xmas cake these days. I
can't speak for all of them, but we get Tesco 'Finest' of both,
usually two or three puds at a time and save them for the following
years. SWMBO used to make them, but she's no longer able to cook
these days, and it's just so much simpler. Unless you are absolutely
sold on the idea of making your own and you think your cooking skills
are up to doing it, then in your situation I would think it well worth
considering.

+1, I have also been very happy with Aldi/Lidl. I do add a couple of
glugs of brandy at the end, though.

On 29/08/2017 11:45, newshound wrote:
On 8/29/2017 10:13 AM, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:

I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!)
but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of
her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no
xmas puddings for this year.Â* Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year
when required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down
over several generations.Â* Seems simple enough apart from managing
the 8 hours steaming.Â* But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here
who knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Thanks

Not answering your question, and not DIY (cooking or otherwise) but
the supermarkets do excellent Xmas puds and Xmas cake these days. I
can't speak for all of them, but we get Tesco 'Finest' of both,
usually two or three puds at a time and save them for the following
years.Â* SWMBO used to make them, but she's no longer able to cook
these days, and it's just so much simpler. Unless you are absolutely
sold on the idea of making your own and you think your cooking skills
are up to doing it, then in your situation I would think it well worth
considering.

+1, I have also been very happy with Aldi/Lidl. I do add a couple of
glugs of brandy at the end, though.

My local small supermarket usually has too many and they are
reduced for quick sale between Boxing day and new year for
almost nothing.

Xmas puds are loss leaders for all the supermarkets. They usually
have a special price during the first week of december and unless
they win the 'best pud' award that various papers indulge in,
sometimes revert to the special low price before Xmas. Any left
will be really cheap after and the higher-alcohol versions will
keep for ages.

Huge wrote:

On 2017-08-29, newshound wrote:
On 8/29/2017 10:13 AM, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 29 Aug 2017 02:05:50 -0700 (PDT), Rob Graham
wrote:

I know this may the wrong place to ask this ( and the wrong time!!)
but I got excellent bread making advice from this group some years ago.

My wife passed away early this year and in digging into the depths of
her store cupboard for something, I happened to notice there were no
xmas puddings for this year. Dad will have to set to!

My wife used to make a batch of 6 or so at that this time of year when
required, so I hunted out the card for the recipe handed down over
several generations. Seems simple enough apart from managing the 8
hours steaming. But it uses breadcrumbs - is there a guru here who
knows if this can be wholemeal or does it have to be white bread ?

The xmas cake I think I will bow out of!

Thanks

Not answering your question, and not DIY (cooking or otherwise) but
the supermarkets do excellent Xmas puds and Xmas cake these days. I
can't speak for all of them, but we get Tesco 'Finest' of both,

IMNHO the Tesco "Finest" puddings have, like Usenet, too many nuts.

I agree. They lose an essential puddingyness trying to be too
luxurious.


--

Roger Hayter

Many thanks guys; the fact that there were so many replies make me wonder if you are all passed 'school' age and are now retired folks who have fond memories of mothers / grannies / etc., stirring the puddings and offering you stir and to make a wish!

My interpretation of the posts is that wholemeal crumbs would work but might make the puddings even heavier. I appreciate the poster who said that with flour the puddings would be very solid and hence the use of bread crumbs - an explanation.

The reference to a query on bread making some years ago was a frustration my wife was having with her bread maker at that time - so I asked here, expecting to be told to go to a specific forum, and ended up with thread some 90 posts long; and the solution to her problem. That machine at last died and she got one from Lakeland which has proven to be totally bomb-proof, even in my hands; that's a plug for Lakeland by the way!!

Rob Graham wrote

Many thanks guys; the fact that there were so many replies make
me wonder if you are all passed 'school' age and are now retired
folks who have fond memories of mothers / grannies / etc.,
stirring the puddings and offering you stir and to make a wish!

There certainly arent too many even as young as Adam and he is no kid now.

Still working tho.

My interpretation of the posts is that wholemeal crumbs
would work but might make the puddings even heavier.

Yeah, I expect it would but havent actually tried it.

I appreciate the poster who said that with flour the puddings would
be very solid and hence the use of bread crumbs - an explanation.

Yeah, puddings arent as dense as xmas cake and xmas cake does use flour.

The reference to a query on bread making some years ago was a
frustration my wife was having with her bread maker at that time
- so I asked here, expecting to be told to go to a specific forum,
and ended up with thread some 90 posts long; and the solution
to her problem. That machine at last died and she got one from
Lakeland which has proven to be totally bomb-proof, even in my
hands; that's a plug for Lakeland by the way!!

I did actually try asking some cooking questions, forget exactly what,
in more appropriate forums but got a much better result here.

On Tuesday, 29 August 2017 20:51:54 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
Rob Graham wrote

Many thanks guys; the fact that there were so many replies make
me wonder if you are all passed 'school' age and are now retired
folks who have fond memories of mothers / grannies / etc.,
stirring the puddings and offering you stir and to make a wish!

There certainly arent too many even as young as Adam and he is no kid now.

Still working tho.

My interpretation of the posts is that wholemeal crumbs
would work but might make the puddings even heavier.

Yeah, I expect it would but havent actually tried it.

I appreciate the poster who said that with flour the puddings would
be very solid and hence the use of bread crumbs - an explanation.

Yeah, puddings arent as dense as xmas cake and xmas cake does use flour.

The reference to a query on bread making some years ago was a
frustration my wife was having with her bread maker at that time
- so I asked here, expecting to be told to go to a specific forum,
and ended up with thread some 90 posts long; and the solution
to her problem. That machine at last died and she got one from
Lakeland which has proven to be totally bomb-proof, even in my
hands; that's a plug for Lakeland by the way!!

I did actually try asking some cooking questions, forget exactly what,
in more appropriate forums but got a much better result here.

Bread introduces air into the pudding, acting as a precursor of baking powder.

Most diyers and electronic engineers seem to be getting old, seems the youngsters are in for harder times ahead.

I suppose the same is true of today, not as many diyers about as there were in the 1950s.


NT

On 29/08/17 14:27, Rob Graham wrote:
Many thanks guys; the fact that there were so many replies make me wonder if you are all passed 'school' age and are now retired folks who have fond memories of mothers / grannies / etc., stirring the puddings and offering you stir and to make a wish!

My interpretation of the posts is that wholemeal crumbs would work but might make the puddings even heavier. I appreciate the poster who said that with flour the puddings would be very solid and hence the use of bread crumbs - an explanation.

The reference to a query on bread making some years ago was a frustration my wife was having with her bread maker at that time - so I asked here, expecting to be told to go to a specific forum, and ended up with thread some 90 posts long; and the solution to her problem. That machine at last died and she got one from Lakeland which has proven to be totally bomb-proof, even in my hands; that's a plug for Lakeland by the way!!

I'd endorse most of what's been written here. Anyone who might have been
following another thread in another newsgroup this weekend will know I
make my Christmas cakes and puddings on an alternate two-year cycle and
there's no doubt that careful maturation makes for a nicer pud or cake
the second year around.

There are some fantastic cakes and puds to be bought in the shops
ranging from superb to absolutely awesome, but nothing at Christmas time
can replace being part of a tradition that mattered to my wife and her
mother and my mother and her mother before her. They have all passed
away and this part of the family is all men now so we have to do the
best we can. So we try, And in trying we bond with our past.

Nick

On 29/08/2017 14:55, Huge wrote:
On 2017-08-29, Rob Graham wrote:

Many thanks guys; the fact that there were so many replies make me wonder
if you are all passed 'school' age and are now retired folks who have
fond memories of mothers / grannies / etc., stirring the puddings and
offering you stir and to make a wish!

I believe the average age of uk.d-i-y posters is well into the 60's.


Your typical gen X or Y doesn't really understand the concept of
power tools, never mind proper stuff like planes, chisels and
oil-based paint.

I blame non-diy modern cars. A lot of people started DIY after
having to fix their own car.

"Andrew" wrote in message
news
On 29/08/2017 14:55, Huge wrote:
On 2017-08-29, Rob Graham wrote:

Many thanks guys; the fact that there were so many replies make me
wonder
if you are all passed 'school' age and are now retired folks who have
fond memories of mothers / grannies / etc., stirring the puddings and
offering you stir and to make a wish!

I believe the average age of uk.d-i-y posters is well into the 60's.

Your typical gen X or Y doesn't really understand the concept of power
tools,

Bull****. One of my now 14 year old neighbours keeps borrowing mine.

never mind proper stuff like planes, chisels and oil-based paint.

I blame non-diy modern cars. A lot of people started DIY after having to
fix their own car.

That 14 year old' parents dont even have a car.

His brother does, and he refurbishes mobile phones.
Doesnt work on his own car.

On Wednesday, 30 August 2017 18:39:23 UTC+1, Andrew wrote:
I believe the average age of uk.d-i-y posters is well into the 60's.

That may be more to do with Usenet than diy.

I blame non-diy modern cars. A lot of people started DIY after
having to fix their own car.

what happened to making gokarts with pramwheels and a plank?

Owain