Thursday, December 20, 2007

This Week's Thursday Thirteen - The Thirteen Ingredients For Making Figgy Pudding

Thursday Thirteen



Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here


Okay.
Well, to begin with, Grammy finds this to be a bit rude and demanding and doesn't care much for the threat about not leaving. That is not polite.
However, it is Christmas and children do become overstimulated, so I suppose...

The second problem is, Grammy is not real sure what figgy pudding consists of (other than figs?) and doesn't know how to make one.
Until today.

Figgy Pudding:

2 package(s) (8 ounces each) dried Calimyrna figs
1 3/4 cup(s) milk
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon(s) salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) margarine or butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/2 cup(s) (3 to 4 slices white bread) fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon(s) grated orange peel
Marzipan fruit and greens, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 1/2-quart metal steamed-pudding mold or fluted tube pan.

With kitchen shears, cut stems from figs; cut figs into small pieces. In 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, cook figs and milk, covered, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (mixture may look curdled). Be careful not to let mixture boil.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat eggs 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; add margarine or butter, bread crumbs, orange peel, and warm fig mixture. Gradually add flour mixture; beat until just blended.

Spoon fig mixture into mold, smoothing top. Cover with sheet of greased foil, greased-side down. (If your mold has a lid, grease the inside and do not use foil.)
Place the mold in a deep roasting pan and place on oven rack. Pour hot tap water into roasting pan to come 2 inches up side of mold.

Bake pudding 2 hours or until firm and it pulls away from side of mold. Remove pudding from water bath; remove foil and cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert onto serving plate; remove mold. Garnish with marzipan fruit and greens. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.


So that's figgy pudding. With thirteen ingredients. I doubt that I'll make any but it is good to know how it's done. Maybe if someone were to ask politely?

We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.