Stir It Up for Christmas

Stir it up in the Great Kitchen at Cusworth Hall

Wishes were in the air at Cusworth Hall Doncaster last weekend. Stir Up Sunday (the last Sunday in the church year) is the day when everyone has a go at stirring the Christmas Pudding mixture and makes a wish. June, Hazel (alias Mary and Rose) and I put on freshly laundered aprons and caps worn by the former kitchen staff in the Hall and reenacted preparations for Stir Up Sunday in the kitchens at the Hall, just as in the 1900s.

Stir it up and make a wish   

We made the Plum Pudding recipe from Grandma Abson's Traditional Baking. The Victorians called raisins 'Plums' hence the traditional name for Christmas Pudding. Grandma generally made her own Christmas Puddings a few weeks before Christmas and tied them up with clean cloths such as muslin or cotton. The recipe comes from her elder sister, Emma. It makes 3 large puddings so I’ve cut it down here to make one for a 2 pint basin.

PLUM PUDDING

275g/10 oz currants

150g/5 0z sultanas

150g/5 0z stoned raisins

75g/3 oz mixed peel

150g/5 0z (vegetarian) suet

150g/5 0z breadcrumbs

150g/5 0z self raising flour

150g/5 0z  (soft brown) sugar

 25g/1 oz flaked almonds or chopped  nuts

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch  of salt

2 eggs (beaten)

1/3 small can stout

A little milk

Mix all the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, then the stout and milk. Mix all well. Cover with greaseproof paper. Steam or boil for 4 hours. Store in a cool place until Christmas Day. Then, steam for 2 hours prior to serving on the day.”

Steaming the Plum Pudding 
(see below to microwave it)

Meryl's tips for a perfect Plum Pudding

1.     If you don’t have a steamer, you can put the pudding basin in a large pan on an inverted saucer or small plate and pour water to about ¼ of the side of the basin.

2.    Keep topping the water up in the pan so it doesn’t boil dry.

3.    Always test with skewer – if the skewer comes out clean, then it’s fully cooked. If it still sticks to the skewer then cook for a minute or so longer.

4.    And just in case … You can do all this in a microwave and make a microwave Christmas Pudding. Cover the pudding in cling film and for the first stage, cook on medium power for around 20 minutes. Then leave to cool, recover with fresh cling film (or foil) and store in cool place as before. On Christmas Day, remove the foil and cover with cling film, reheat for 6-8 minutes on a moderate heat.

5.    Whatever the method for cooking, leave the pudding to stand  for a few minutes before serving and prepare Brandy Butter, Custard or cream – whatever you like best. We always have Rum Sauce.

Paul says : 'I’ll try a piece of cake too!

Lincolnshire Plum Loaf looks to its past

Lincolnshire Plum Loaf

There’s some confusion about ‘plums’ and ‘plumbs’. A ‘Lincolnshire lass’ (as she proudly described herself) gave me this recipe a few months ago. She asked me to share her Gran’s ‘Plumb Loaf’ as it was a treasured family recipe. She wasn’t sure why she had written ‘Plumb’ so we laughed when I said ‘plumb’ usually referred to lead weight whereas ‘plum’ was a traditional term for any type of dried fruit. However, she may have the last laugh as I found Elizabeth Raffald's recipe for ‘Plumb Loaf’ and ‘White Plumb Loaf’ when researching this Doncaster born cook. 

Elizabeth Raffald's Plumb Cake 

The recipes are similar but the quantities are much greater especially when it comes to eggs! 

Here’s what you need ...

Lincolnshire Plumb Loaf

2 cups/8oz/225g self raising flour

½ cup/2oz/50g butter

1 cup/4oz/110g sugar

2 cups/8oz/225g mixed fruit

2oz/50g ground almonds

2oz/50g glace cherries

1 egg (beaten)

a little milk

How to bake it ….

Preheat the oven 180C/350F/Gas 4 to Rub the butter into the flour well, add the mixed fruit, ground almonds and cherries with the sugar. Then add the egg and milk. The mixture needs to be stiff so don’t add too much milk. Put into a lined loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes approximately.

Meryl says : When checking up on ‘plums’ and ‘plumbs’ I discovered that ‘plumming’ was a term used in Victorian times to describe dried fruit as it expands. That’s why the Victorians called Christmas pudding ‘Plum Pudding’. Why not try my Great Aunt Emma’s Plum Pudding recipe.

Stir it up with carrots

What is Stir Up Sunday?

‘Stir Up Sunday’ is the day when home cooks ‘stir up’ their Christmas puddings. It falls on a different date each year but always towards the end of November, before Advent begins. This year it’s on Sunday 21 November. The term came from the Anglican church, where the collect for the last Sunday before Advent is as follows : ‘Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded …’  This turned into a  reminder to the congregation to ‘stir up’ their puddings, since most recipes require them to be prepared well before Christmas Day.

WW2 recipes with carrots

During World War 2 many cake recipes included carrots and potatoes since they were an alternative for sugar and reasonably plentiful. The Ministry of Food produced leaflets with recipes. In the case of Christmas Pudding, any spices you might use would have probably been in the kitchen pantry since the outbreak of war, so it might be mixed spice or all spice or any combination of these. Coupons for dried fruits would have to be saved up for several weeks. 

WW2 Christmas Pudding

3 oz (75g) carrots, grated

3½ oz (100g) potatoes, grated

3 oz (75g) plain flour (this would be wholemeal

1 oz (25g) breadcrumbs

1 oz (25g) shredded suet

½ tsp mixed spice

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tbsps water

2 tbsps mixed dried fruit

1 tbsp water, 

1 tbsp rum or brandy (if available)

Prepare the pudding basins for steaming by greasing them thoroughly. Mix together the carrot, potato, flour, breadcrumbs, suet and spices. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the water and add to the mixture. If available soak the dried fruit in the rum or brandy then add it to the mixture. Mix well then place in the basin. Cover with greaseproof paper or foil and place in a saucepan with boiling water. Steam for 4 hours, topping up the water as it cooks.

 

Where did Christmas Pudding come from?

Christmas pudding was reputed to have originated in the 14^th century when a dish called frumenty, made with oats, milk and seasoned with cinnamon and saffron was served. Later, traditional Christmas dishes, such as mincemeat, were normally made with meat until the 1700s, when Georgian cooks started to experiment with meat less versions, flavouring the mixture with lemon juice and zest, alongside the dried fruit and spices. Here's a traditional Plum Pudding, including instructions for cooking in a microwave.

 

Stir it up and make a wish!   

In some families, ‘stirring up’ the Christmas pudding became a tradition where everyone took a turn in stirring the mixture and making a wish for the year ahead. The pudding should be stirred from east to west, in honour of the Magi (Wise Men) who came from the east to visit the baby Jesus. Some cooks also added silver coins to the mixture to bring good luck to whoever finds one in their portion.

A dash of ginger makes a Plum job

Plum and Ginger Cake

I love to see Plums appearing at the market since it gives me a chance to make this delicious cake. As always a dash of ginger gives it an extra kick.

 Plum and Ginger Cake

6 plums

2 eggs

4oz/110g caster sugar

5oz/150g yoghurt

2fl oz/50ml vegetable oil

5oz/150g self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1 tsp ginger

1 tbsp demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Mark 6. Grease and line a 21cms/8 inch cake tin. Slice the plums thinly. Beat the eggs yolks with the sugar until pale. Mix the yoghurt and oil into the egg and sugar mixture and then add the plums. Mix the flour, baking powder and ginger together and stir into the mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are firm peaks. Fold into the rest of the mixture. Pour into the cake tin. Sprinkle demerara sugar on the top and bake for around 45 minutes. 

Meryl says : Plum and Ginger Cake is at its best when served slightly warm as a pudding but you can let it cool and serve as a cake. It will keep for a couple of days or so – if you can resist it. Pudding or cake - what do you think?

Lightly does it with this Christmas bake

I’m often asked about alternatives to the traditional Christmas baking of rich fruit cakes, mince pies and plum pudding so I’ve adapted Grandma’s popular Orange Cake to make a cake with a lighter texture. Cranberries and pistachios are my favourite seasonal fruit and nuts and they make a great combination with oranges to show off Christmas colours. 

 Cranberry Orange & Pistachio Loaf

175g/6oz butter

150g/5oz caster sugar

3 eggs

175g/6oz self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

125g/4 ½oz  fresh cranberries

50g/2oz pistachio nuts (chopped)

1 orange zest & juice 

25g/1oz demerara sugar

Pre heat the oven to 180 (160C fan), Gas 4. Cream the butter, caster sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the flour and baking powder. Fold about ¾ of the cranberries and pistachio nuts and then add the orange juice. Place the mixture in a well greased or lined 1kg/2lb loaf tin. Scatter the remaining cranberries and pistachios on the top and then sprinkle the Demerara sugar over the fruit and nuts. Bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes.

Meryl says : This is a very simple recipe which you can enjoy in the run up to Christmas. It freezes well. You can make it with dried cranberries if fresh ones aren’t available. I can guarantee there won’t be a piece left!

Take a look at more of Grandma's Christmas recipes

Almond Paste

Boxing Day Cake

Christmas Cake

Dutch Christmas Celebration Wreath 

Plum (Christmas) Pudding

Cranberry & Apple Chutney

Cranberry, Orange & Pistachio Loaf

Cranberry & Orange Muffins

Galette de pommes

Mincemeat

Mincemeat Cake

Mince Pies

Shortbread biscuits

Dan Lepard's Orange and Pistachio Stollen Bars  

Tarte Noel   

Twelfth Night Cake

Yorkshire Christmas Spice Loaf

Whatever you are doing and wherever you are, Happy Christmas Baking! 

A slice of history today

 

Most of us have someone in our lives who have inspired us. For me, that person was my grandmother, whose love for baking shaped my own passion for the craft. At 63, Lizzie Abson moved in with my family after the tragic death of my mother soon after I was born, and as soon as I could stand on a chair, I watched, learned, and eventually inherited not just her recipes but her deep-rooted love for simple, delicious home baking.

Grandma Abson’s Treasured Collection of Recipes

Grandma Abson had begun to collect many of her recipes during her time in service but she continued through most of the 20th century as times and fashions changed. She wrote them out by hand on scraps of paper, postcards, in old exercise books and torn out of magazines.  She was an avid collector of other people’s favourites. Her sisters – Emma, Clara, Mabel, Alice, Edith and Ivy were also ‘in service’ across the country contributed their own specialities from Plum Pudding and Rock cakes to biscuits – creating a diverse and cherished assortment of traditional recipes.

In 2010, I collated her recipes into a book entitled ‘Grandma Abson’s Traditional Baking’ and sold them across the North of England. In fact, with radio and press coverage and distribution through bookshops and delivering talks and events they ‘sold like hotcakes.’  I just kept a small number back for my grandchildren for posterity.

Even today I get asked : ‘Have you still got a copy of Grandma Abson’s recipes?’ It’s a regular question whenever I’ve done a talk so I love to say it’s still around as an e-book so you can access those wonderful recipes.

Grandma was very proud of her baking, whether it was winning prizes or having family and friends sampling cakes and puddings. Grandma Abson’s legacy is more than just recipes; it’s a connection to the past, a reminder of the warmth and comfort that home baking brings. Her recipes remain as relevant today as they were decades ago, proving that simple, well-made food never goes out of style. In my family, we continue to bake her beloved cakes, biscuits, and preserves, keeping her traditions alive with every delicious bite. Check out the list of Recipes  and enjoy a slice of history today!

Best of Grandma’s (& Dan’s) Christmas Baking

Christmas delights from Grandma’s recipes

Christmas baking is underway with the Plum Pudding steamed and the Christmas Cake baked to perfection. Grandma's the recipe has been featured on Deliciously Yorkshire and in MODE magazine. Everyone says Grandmas always knew best!

Homemade Mincemeat and Shortbread Biscuits make delightful gifts. You’ll find more of Grandma's Christmas baking ideas on the Recipes page.

Dan’s Orange & Pistachio Stollen Bars

I’m always on the lookout for something new to try, just like Grandma did over her long life of baking. We fell under the spell of Dan Lepard’s divine Orange and Pistachio Stollen Bars some Christmases ago. Thanks to Dan for your messages on social media; it’s fantastic to be able to pick up more tips to make home baking come alive.

Ingredients for Almond Paste 

Amongst the ingredients, Dan lists Marzipan. I use Grandma’s Almond Paste, left over after decorating our Christmas Cake. 

Marzipan & Almond Paste - what's the difference ?

Marzipan and Almond paste are very similar as they both have the same ingredients but in different proportions. There’s much debate but Marzipan has more sugar which makes it easier to use for modelling and decoration whereas Almond Paste has a higher amount of ground almonds which gives it a stronger almond taste.  It’s your choice! I use lemon juice instead of egg white and maybe a dash of sherry or brandy to mix the paste.

Let me know how you’re getting on with Christmas baking and if you’ve got a favourite family Christmas recipe to share.