Wednesday 21 December 2022

War, Peace, Pudding

 

When it's really cold, a hot pudding is a good idea. I found a recipe for "War and Peace Pudding" on Carolyn's blog, The1940s experiment

It required the simplest of ingredients and apparently was popular in Canada in WW2, and to this day, there are Canadians who serve this rather than a traditional Christmas pud .
I grated the potato and carrot, and mixed as per instructions. [I soaked my fruit in cold tea.]  But rather than steaming, I microwaved it for 7½minutes.
I turned out the pud, and stuck a Christmas sprig in the top to improve the appearance, and served a jug of custard alongside. Let's just say it was not what you'd call "light" textured. Bob did very well on my "guess the ingredients quiz". The pudding was very filling. 
"I think I'll keep the remaining portion and eat it when I want something worthy" I declared. "It won't keep till Lent" said Bob.
I tipped the leftover bit into a bowl - it actually bounced! "This WW2 recipe, was it developed by Barnes Wallis?" said Bob. 
It may have been quick and economical, and terribly popular with the Royal Canadian Mounties, but we may not have this one again!
Are you having a traditional Xmas pud?
Or do your family prefer some other dessert?





18 comments:

  1. I make a "Very Merry Berry Pudding" which is sort of trad but instead of currants and raisins it has dried cranberries, strawberries, sour cherries and blueberries. Definitely not worthy!

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    1. I think that YOURS should surely be called Mary's Very Merry Berry Pudding! All those lovely red fruits sound scrumptious

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    2. That's what I used ti call it. But for some reason people then decided it was Mary Berry's Pudding!!

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  2. When the kids were little I used to cut up oranges, apples and bananas and drizzle with some lemon - made a custard and when cool, mixed it all up... sometimes with raisins, but the kids didn't like the raisins so those stayed away.
    And... I have an appetite and will be making it again this year.
    A dear pre-Christmas greeting to you from Viola

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  3. Frohe Weihnachten, und ein glückliches Neues Jahr, ❤️☺️🎄 Viola

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    1. I used to make one from my Panasonic microwave cookbook that came with the microwave. It was a tropical Christmas pudding. All I can remember now is that it contained pineapple and should have had angelica but I refused to put that in as I don’t like chewing on sticks! It was a much lighter pudding than the traditional. I wrote down the recipe somewhere when I sold the microwave before moving back to Canada so I’ll have to dig through my recipe boxes to find it.

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    2. I just checked my Panasonic microwave cookbook - but it just has a 'trad' recipe

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    3. Thanks for looking. After I posted the previous comment I remembered that I didn’t write the recipe out. What I actually did was type it in on my computer. Unfortunately that was two word processing programs ago and I’m not sure I still have it in a readable file. If I do I’ll print it out and also use my iPad to take a photo of it.

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  4. I think fruit cake is the only traditional sweet here, but it's much maligned and few eat it! Mary's pudding sounds good, since I dislike raisins and currants. You could freeze what's left of the 1949s pudding, and treat Bob and yourself throughout the new year :)!

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    1. The remainder of the WW2 pudding had sort of set solid by the following day. I'm afraid it went in the bin.

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  5. We always have a traditional Christmas pudding. Well, it is only once a year. Nicky K

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    1. I like to have a Christmas Pudding on Boxing Day or the day after (no room for it after turkey plus all the trimmings!)

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  6. My daughter and I made a non alcoholic, gf and vegan Christmas pudding last weekend, intending it to be kept for Christmas Eve when we are celebrating together. It was so good that she, her husband and 1 year old have eaten it already so she has to make another one! She was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 1988 but has only recently become allergic to eggs and dairy - it's making baking challenging but not impossible.

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  7. Can I recommend "Entertaining for a Veggie Planet" , by Didi Emmons. My daughter Liz has this book and it has some excellent recipes which are egg and dairy free. I'm glad your daughter has found a good pud! Happy Christmas you all

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  8. I don't make them any more as the family are not keen, but last year when they couldn't be here for Christmas I splashed out on a small imported pudding. We had it on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (but didn't set light to it like in the old days!)

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  9. I wonder if microwaving it instead of steaming it made a difference?

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