Country Chef Reader

Today we're having dessert first with one of the winners to the "Favorite Holiday Recipe Contest." Shelly Bevington-Fisher from eastern Oregon shared her version of an Old English treasure by adding a black pepper and cranberry twist.



Christmas Pudding with Lemon Sauce
Pudding:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
16 ounces whole berry cranberry sauce
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated potatoes
1 cup grated carrots1 cup grated apples
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Lemon Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup boiling water
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325° and spray a 1 1/2 quart round glass (bowl) baking dish with cooking spray. In a separate large mixing bowl with electric mixer cream together butter and sugar, mix in molasses and vanilla.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together cranberry sauce and baking soda, mix into butter mixture. Sift in flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and black pepper, mix to combine. Stir in potatoes, carrots, apples and walnuts.

Place batter in greased baking dish; cover with foil and punch holes in top of foil to vent steam. Set baking dish in larger baking pan, and fill baking pan with 1" to 1 1/2" water. Steam pudding for 3 hours, or until set. Remove pudding from lower "water" pan; invert pudding onto serving platter.

Prepare Lemon Sauce in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Combine sugar and flour; whisk in boiling water, lemon juice and zest. Simmer until thickened stirring constantly. Slice pudding into 12 pieces, serve warm or cold with lemon sauce. Yield: 12 servings
~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd like send a big thank you to all the entrants. Deciding the winners was challenging because the recipes were mouthwatering and tempting in every way.

As a thank you for entering the Favorite Holiday Recipe Contest I've sent a PDF e-copy of my apple cookbook, Bumper Crop: Beginning with Apples to all who were generous with their treasury of "heart & soul" recipes.

In addition, all contest entrants will be receiving a PDF e-copy of the 24 Day Holiday Recipe Blitz (that's now in progress). It will include all the recipes from the 24 day blitz, along with the contest winners and the runners-up recipes. Distribution will be after Christmas.

Thank you to everyone, and best wishes for successful and sumptuous cooking and baking throughout the entire holiday season!

Cynthia Briggs
~~~~~~~~~~

Labels: Christmas pudding, cranberry, English pudding, lemon sauce, steamed pudding