The Little Library Cookbook – Christmas Pudding – Review

Growing up an avid reader, author Kate Young became fascinated with the food being eaten by the characters within her favorite novels. As someone who also enjoys creating food in the kitchen, she has managed to pair her two loves to create The Little Library Cookbook.

In her introduction, the author describes the recipes themselves, the ingredients and equipment required (including an essential equipment list), and the books from which she received her inspiration. In the On Reading section of her introduction, the author is quite poetic about her love of reading and books. Anyone reading this section will immediately want to reach for a favorite book.

The recipes themselves are broken up into unusual categories:

• Before Noon
• Around Noon
• After Noon (Tea)
• The Dinner Table
• Midnight Feasts
• Parties & Celebrations
• Christmas

Each of the recipe categories begins with an explanation about the category. A quote from the book which inspired the recipe starts you off. Following this is a description from the author describing the recipe and/or her relationship to it.

Each of the recipes includes serving size, and equipment required. Many also offer substitutions or tips. About half of the recipes included photographs, some include step-by-step instructional pictures as well.

A recipe index comes after all the recipes, followed by an author index so you can look up the recipes based on your favorite writers as well.

New And Unique Yet Familiar

While all of the books, or the majority of them, will be familiar to most of the readers, the recipes are a more modern take on the familiar story. They are updated for use in a modern kitchen, yet still managed to evoke the feel of the book.

This is a wonderful book for any book fan who enjoys cooking. A terrific gift for any foodie who enjoys reading.

For the included recipe I have chosen the Christmas Pudding from A Christmas Carol. Enjoy!

Christmas Pudding

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A Christmas Carol

“That was the pudding! In half a minute Mrs. Cratchit entered – flushed, but smiling proudly – with the pudding, like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quarter of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas Holly stuck into the top“
– A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

The Pudding here is one I have been eating since childhood. My great-grandmother, who was alive for the first decade of my life, would have a house full of them from August each year. I remember the puddings hanging from broom handles and wooden spoons; big calico knots stiffening as they slowly dried out. My mother still speaks of the year that twenty-four were made to give as gifts.
This recipe is my great-grandmothers, written out by my mom before she left home to live in England in her 20s (exactly 30 years before I would do precisely the same thing). It contains Bundaberg room – a very Australian rum, made from Queensland sugar cane. You could substitute Brandy instead If this is more to your taste, but the room here is how my family make it.
I’d suggest making your puddings at least a couple of months before Christmas – not only do you need time for the flavors to develop, but the maturation time also stops them from crumbling when you finally pull back the calico. In my experience, puddings last for at least a year, but do keep them away from dampness; you don’t want the calico to become a hospitable place for mold.
Makes 2 puddings that each serve 8 – 1 for your family one to give away

Makes2 Puddings

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 pound dried fruit mixed, 1 kg
• 1 apple grated
• 1 carrot grated
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon marmalade
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/2 cup (heaping) almonds slivered, 75 g
• 1/2 cup Bundaberg rum (another golden rum can be substituted or Brandy, if you prefer) (125 mL)
• 1 cup +2 tablespoons butter 250 g
• 1 1/8 cups light-brown sugar 220 g
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour 130 g
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 130 g
• 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs dry 115 g
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brandy (if you want a flaming putting), 50 mL
• Equipment
• 2 squares calico or unbleached cotton, 20 x 20” (50 x 50 cm)
• String

Instructions

• Soak the dried fruit, apple, carrot, spices, marmalade, syrup, and almonds in rum overnight.
• Soak the calico in water. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flours together and fold into the batter with the breadcrumbs and salt. Stir in the soaked fruit.
• Ring out the calico and sprinkle lightly with flour.
  
• Divide the mixture into two and spoon half into each sheet of calico.
  
• Pull up the corners and the edges.
  
• Tie with string, leaving a very small hole in the top.
  
• This step is easier with two people, as you need to hold around the top of the pudding while pulling the fabric firmly. Fill the hole left at the middle of the tie with flour.
  
• Knot the corners together to help lift out of the water (a wooden spoon provides a good handle here).
  
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Ease the puddings into the pan and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7 hours, topping up the water when you need to. Hang the pudding over a bowl or sink to drip overnight. Do not allow the puddings to rest on their bottoms, as this will affect their shape as they dry.
• Once they have dripped dry, hang the puddings in an airy place to dry out completely. Once they are bone dry, including in the folds of the fabric, store them in a cool, dark place until Christmas.
• On Christmas Day, boil the pudding in the calico for an hour. Unwrap and place on a plate. If you want a flaming pudding, gently warm the brandy in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and, being very careful not to burn yourself, hold a lighted match to the brandy. It should ignite with a blue flame. Pour over the pudding. Serve with custard, rum butter, ice cream, or whipped topping.
  

Notes

Reprinted with permission from The Little Library Cookbook © Kate Young. Published by Sterling Epicure. Photography by Lean Timms.

About the Reviewer:

Chris Sadler is WebAdmin and Reviewer for RecipesNow.com
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