Wednesday 4 December 2013

If Mags Can’t Come To The Mountain…

…then I shall just have to post the recipe here! Mags mentioned that her trial-run slo-cook lemon pudding was not successful as a possible Xmas dessert, so I said I would send her my recipe for Snowy Mountain Pudding. For years the family opted for this one each December.

It was published [I think] around 1990 in Good Housekeeping magazine, and came originally from the Cadbury’s “Taste of Chocolate” cookbook. I have yet to make one this year – but here is the photo from my Red Book**. The clipping was trimmed to fit the page, so you will have to imagine the complete snowy dome shape

IMG_1169

  • 200g bar Cadbury Bournville chocolate
  • 3-4 tbsp brandy
  • 12 trifle sponges or 250g (9oz) sponge cake
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 4 tbsp caster sugar
  • 450ml (3/4 pt) double cream
  • 4 tbsp single cream
    Also: a 1.5l (2pt) basin
    SERVES 6-7


1. Warm the chocolate carefully between your hands for a few moments, then shave off enough curls for the decoration. Set these aside in a cool place.
2. Break up the remaining chocolate and melt it slowly with the brandy. Split all the trifle sponges neatly in half. Use some to line the basin, with the cut sides of the sponges towards the outside.
3. Cut further pieces of cake to fit the gaps and ensure the basin is completely lined.
4. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together and fold in the cooled, melted chocolate.
5. Whip half the double cream, then whisk egg whites until stiff and fold both into the chocolate mixture.
6. Cover the cake at the base of the bowl with the mixture, then arrange a layer of cake on top. Continue until all the ingredients are used, ending with a cake layer.
7. Cover the bowl with a plate, weight it down and leave overnight.
8. Turn the pudding out onto an attractive serving plate. Whip the remaining double cream with the single, then spread it in ripples over the pudding. Decorate the top of the pudding with the chocolate curls. Keep cool until required.

I should say that it ‘serves 6-7’ generously! It is very rich [and we’ve always omitted the brandy, and added 2tsp vanilla essence] It will freeze. Please note, recipe uses raw eggs

**I shall do some more posts about this amazing volume soon

5 comments:

  1. Oh, my goodness, that looks and sounds delicious! Eager to hear more about this Red Book of yours ...

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  2. I have a balck ringbound red notebook, and am quite sure that this will be making its way in! But warm the chocolate between your hands? With the wrapper on or off???? Thank you so much for this! Fruit galettes were looking the main runner, but I can see that a chocolate mountain will win (chocolatey) hands down!

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    Replies
    1. [1] wrapper ON - less messy, more hygienic
      [2] Re-reading the recipe again, I think we modified it at one point, and melted the chocolate [step 2] in a splash of orange juice, to make it a tiny bit runnier.
      [3] You should probably offer a healthy fruit alternative dessert too!

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  3. Goodness, that looks wonderful!
    I have been looking for Something to make for Christmas lunch for those who don't really like Christmas pudding, but eat it to be polite! It's time I spoiled them ,instead of selfishly sticking to tradition.

    Thanks so much for the recipe!

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  4. I'm just trying this now so fingers crossed it works okay. All I needed was the cream so its worked out quite useful for using things up :)

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