Travel France Online has just published Shutters and Sunflowers’ article about Christmas Puddings as part of a wonderful collection of Christmas wishes from all over France put together by Diane de la Guillermie, this fabulous website’s founder. For me, as a child, just as it is now and probably has been for several generations, the days before Christmas were always busy, collecting greenery to decorate the house, finding the tree, buying and wrapping presents, writing cards, standing in endless lines at the Post Office and of course preparing special food.
Our mother seemed to spend endless hours in the kitchen, often making yet more mince pies which seemed to disappear as friends and family unexpectedly appeared to drop off cards and presents.
I can remember when I was finally allowed to help and feeling very grown up tasked with making a chocolate Yule log, mince pies, sausage rolls and Christmas pudding, so began my life long love of cooking!
Christmas Pudding is a very English tradition, often referred to as ‘Figgy Pudding’. It is the easiest thing to make as everything is just tumbled into a bowl.
The stirring is very important and a time to make a wish.
The wishing certainly works as I remember
one year getting something incredibly special with a scrunched up face and rosebud lips, 9 months later!!
The other great thing about Christmas pudding is that it keeps really well so I always make a few and freeze them, in the basins they’ve been made in.
Hence this year I don’t actually have one to make!
On Christmas Day, after all the labour of a magnificent lunch, it is a wonderful desert, as apart from gentle steaming, there is no last minute work involved.
Popped in its basin into a pan of gently bubbling water, it hisses and sizzles until ready to be serve.
Turned upside down and donned with a sprig of holly, it should then be splashed with a generous pour of brandy and immediately light, quite a spectacle!
I serve it with creme fraiche or brandy butter (I use icing sugar/ powdered sugar) and sometimes a white sauce, the rum being optional! It’s very rich, so everyone only needs a little which means there’s plenty left for the next day!
As a child, our Christmas puddings were always served stuffed with foil wrapped sixpences, put there by the ‘Christmas fairies for luck’, it made it quite magical!
Click here to read this article and other great Christmas posts in Travel France Online and
remember Travel France Online’s site should you be planning a trip to Diane’s beautiful country, it is an invaluable resource for your travels to France!
You can remind yourself of Shutters and Sunflowers original article here.
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