| |
Cc: AlbrightNicols@daintydwelings.com Subject: Palms electrics
Hey mate, Happy New Year.
Listen, I’m not sure how to tell you this, but I think I may have botched that job I did for you before Christmas.
Did you notice anything odd with things? Lights or anything?
Hopefully not, but I’ll pop in when I get back from the break and have another look at it.
Sorry, Dave
This can be made up to three months ahead, but needs to be refrigerated.
––––––––
2½ cups sultanas or raisins 1½ cups currants
1 cup of other mixed, dried fruit, e.g. apricots, prunes, cranberries, glazed cherries
2/3 cup mixed peel
½ cup slithered almonds
½ cup brandy
a square of unbleached calico about 45 cm square 180 g butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 5 eggs
¾ cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
RECIPE
––––––––
2 teaspoons mixed spice 2¾ cups breadcrumbs
3 cups finely grated suet
¼ cup extra brandy string
Combine the fruit, nuts and brandy in a bowl, mixing well. Cover and let stand overnight or up to a week.
Soak the calico in cold water overnight. The next day, boil it for 20 minutes and rinse well.
––––––––
Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until just combined.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just combined between additions.
Combine the egg mixture with the fruit mixture.
Add the sifted flour, spice, breadcrumbs and suet and the extra brandy and mix well.
Wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands, dip the calico cloth into a large pot of boiling water and wring out the excess water. Spread the cloth over the bench and rub in extra flour onto the cloth to cover most of it, thicker in the centre of the cloth, and leaving the edges bare.
Place your mixture into the centre of the cloth.
RECIPE
––––––––
Gather the edges of the cloth together around the pudding. Hold up the pudding and pat it into a round shape. Tie the string securely around the top of the cloth, placing it as close to the pudding as possible to keep it firm. Tie a loop in the string at the top of the pudding, leaving the ends long.
You want the cloth as tight as possible to keep the pudding nice and round.
Carefully lower the pudding into the pot of boiling water (it should be about half full) and tie the string around the pot handles or to a wooden spoon across the pot to keep it from touching the base or sides. The pudding needs to be completely submerged.
Boil for approximately 6 hours, topping up the water as needed as it evaporates.
Remove the pudding, but do not set it down. Empty the water from the pot and then re-hang the pudding in the pot overnight.
The next day, place the pudding on the bench and cut the string. Loosen the cloth away from the top of the pudding and leave open to allow the cloth to dry (can be put in the fridge for this).
Once dry, re-tie the pudding and wrap or seal in a plastic bag and refrigerate until needed. Remove from the fridge 12 hours before eating.
On Christmas Day, boil the pudding in the same way for around 2 hours.
Remove from the water and suspend it for 10 minutes before cutting the string open and turning the pudding onto a serving plate and removing the cloth. Stand another 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve with brandy butter and custard, or dig a small well in the pudding, pour in brandy and light.
––––––––
1½ cups milk
¾ cup cream
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean pod, split open
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish 3 eggs, separated
½ cup sugar
½ cup rum, bourbon or brandy
––––––––
In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once it starts boiling, remove it from the heat and let cool.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Add the alcohol.
Refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.
Before serving, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them into your eggnog mix. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and serve.
2 1/3 cups icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
395 g can sweetened condensed milk 3 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla essence red or pink food colouring
Grease a square cake pan. Line the base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper slightly above the edges of the pan.
Sift the icing sugar and cream of tartar together into a large bowl. Add sweetened condensed milk, coconut and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Divide mixture in half. Tint half the mixture pink with food colouring. Leave the other half plain.
Press the plain mixture over the base of your prepared pan, levelling the top with the back of a spoon. Press the pink mixture over the plain mixture, levelling the top with your spoon. Cover. Chill for 3 hours or until set.
Cut the coconut ice into small squares. Serve.
This will keep for up to a month.
RECIPE
––––––––
150 g unsalted butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup caster sugar
1 1/3 cups plain flour 1 tablespoon cornflour
4 eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 1/3 cup plain flour
1 1/3 cups caster sugar 2/3 cup lemon juice icing sugar to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Grease a large slice pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a small overhang on all sides.
Mix the melted butter, vanilla and sugar. Sift in the flour and cornflour. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a soft dough forms. Press into the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Whisk the eggs, lemon rind, flour and sugar together until smooth, then add the lemon juice. Pour this over the base. Bake for 15 minutes or until just set.
Cool completely in the pan.
Cut into pieces, dust with icing sugar and serve.
––––––––
Nikki and Kirsty are sisters from New Zealand.
They love travelling, reading, Harry Styles and great food. Neither of them can do a cartwheel for love nor money.