Accompanied story, "A Giving Spirit," published 12-8-2011
Steve Berkel adapted this classic English Christmas recipe from Julia Child. (For the original Julia Child recipe, visit www.razzledazzlerecipes.com and search for "Julia Child Plum Pudding".) Berkel says it is best made a week before serving and will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. The dessert gets its name from the raisins, which in the 17th century were called plums.
For the pudding:
1 1/2 cups lightly packed white bread crumbs (from fresh white bread, crust on)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon rum
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
2/3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
4 ounce (1 stick) melted butter
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 drops almond extract
1/4 cup bitter orange marmalade
Prepare bread crumbs (you can use a food processor). Set aside. Chop raisins and cherries (you can use a food processor) and place in rum to soak. Set aside.
When ready to make pudding, in a large bowl combine bread crumbs, sugar and spices. Add butter and toss. Add fruit, rum, eggs, marmalade and almond extract. Mix well.
Butter a microwaveable dish and cover bottom with buttered sheet of waxed paper. Pour in the batter. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and pierce wrap in a few places with the tip of a knife. Set microwave to defrost level and cook for 30 minutes. (Rotate occasionally if your microwave does not have a carousel.)
Turn microwave to high and cook pudding for 5 minutes more. The pudding will be done when firm to the touch. Let it cool in the dish, cover and refrigerate for a week or longer.
When ready to serve, reheat pudding in microwave set on high for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the hard sauce as follows:
For the hard sauce:
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
Pinch salt
1/3 cup rum or bourbon
1/3 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup sugar
Whisk all ingredients together in a stainless steel pan. Place over medium heat for 4-5 minutes while whisking constantly (or you will end up with spiked scrambled eggs). The sauce should be thick, foamy and warm to touch. Serve warm on the side with the pudding.
To serve, reheat pudding in microwave on high for approximately 5 minutes. For a festive presentation, turn pudding onto center of serving dish and pour about 1/2 cup warmed rum or bourbon that has been flamed over and around the pudding. Serve warm hard sauce on the side.
Makes about 12 servings.
