It’s Stir-up Sunday today (22nd November) so if you haven’t done already there’s still time to gather the family together for a lucky stir and a wish with an old Christmas tradition.
How many of you will be making your Christmas pudding this year? That’s what the tradition of Stir-up Sunday is all about and it’s a magical time for families with the citrus peel, dried fruits and cinnamon mixing together to create an aroma that tells you Christmas is coming.
Stir-up Sunday dates back to Victorian times and was the day when families would make their Christmas pudding, a pudding that tastes best made in advance of being eaten on Christmas Day.
Children would be invited to join in, stir the Christmas pudding mixture and make a wish. Making Christmas puddings is a wonderful way to get everyone to join in and get in the mood for next month’s festivities.
True, there are lots of great Christmas puddings in supermarkets these days but there is something special about the smell of the mixture, of the stirring and of seeing children’s faces as you enjoy the first seasonal ritual. And actually making a Christmas pudding is not as difficult as you might think!
There are lots and lots of recipes for Christmas puddings – your family might even have its own – but here’s one of our favourites:
Ingredients:
6oz each of raisins, sultanas and currants
2oz mixed peel
2oz glace cherries
6oz plain flour
3oz breadcrumbs
6oz suet
4oz brown sugar
3 eggs
½ a glass of brandy
A pinch each of nutmeg, mixed spice, cinnamon and salt
A teaspoon of coffee
The rind and juice of a lemon and an orange
Half a grated carrot
And a little milk to mix
Method:
Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then beat the eggs and add them together with the brandy, juice and a little milk to create a stiff dropping consistency. This is where the stirring comes in obviously so here’s the time to call in the children and ask them to give the mixture a stir. Traditionally stirring the pudding would be done east to eest and don’t forget to get everyone to make a wish!
Grease a 6-inch pudding basin and fill it with the mixture. Cover the top of the basin with greaseproof paper with a layer of cooking foil over the top tied on with string. Now steam the pudding over a pan of boiling water for seven hours but remember to keep checking the water to make sure it doesn’t boil dry!
Once cooked you can store it somewhere cool and dry until Christmas when you can either heat up each portion in the microwave or steam it again for two hours.
So if this recipe tempts you to make your own Christmas pudding this year you could be starting your very own Stir-up Sunday tradition for your family! Will you be having a go?
About Neil Shaefer
Marketing & Communications Executive of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
