Warm Christmas Pudding

Soft flakes floating like delicate little feathers to the ground gently caressing a stone of glistening ice.  The snowman with his nose dangling as a brisk wind swirls creating little eddies in the fresh fallen snow.  The pines glistening with ice tentacles dangling down their furry arms.   

Crashing, echoing like the  sound of chimes clattering. Large icicles hanging from the portico remind me of icebergs from the far north.  How cozy and warm it is  here lounging by the fire.  Snuggling in my flannel gown with my dog.  Thoughts of tonight when a feast will be had.  The crystal and Turkey with Cranberries filled. Then the unveiling of a pudding so rich that Mr. Claus might even stay for a bite.

Merry Christmas my friends.                            

Ingredients: 
Fresh White Bread Crumbs -4 cups including crusts. 
Black Raisins-1 cup chopped.
Golden Raisins-1 cup chopped. 
Currants-1 cup chopped.
Sugar-1/3 cups. 
Cinnamon- 1/2 teaspoon.
Mace- 1/2 teaspoon. 
Nutmeg- 1/2 teaspoon.
Cloves- 1/4 teaspoon. 
Salt- 1/2 teaspoon. 
Butter-2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons melted. 
Large Eggs-4 lightly beaten. 
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1/2 teaspoon. 
Orange Marmalade- 1/2 cup. 
Milk- 1/2 cup

Instructions: 
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Using a brush butter the pudding mold and lid heavily.  Set Aside.  Chop the bread,  then the raisins and currants in a food processor finely.  Combine the bread, raisins and currants in a large bowl.  Using you fingers break all the clumps of raisins up to incorporate well with the bread crumbs.  Add in the sugar, spices, and mix.  Pour in the melted butter, extract, marmalade, milk and eggs until well combined.  Pour mixture into the pudding mold and seal tightly. 

Place a steamer basket or submerge a kitchen towel into the bottom of a large pot.  Place the pudding mold on top of the basket or towel.  Fill the pot with water so that the mold is covered 3/4 the way up.  Tightly cover the pot and steam for 6 hours.  Occasionally you will have to add additional water.  The water must remain on a low boil or the pudding will not cook.  If you do not have a pudding mold you may use a metal mixing bowl with a tight lid.  When 6 hours is up allow the mold to remain in the pot of water to cool.  Invert onto a platter.  Place a piece of holly on the top of the pudding.  Serve with a Rum Sauce.

Rum Sauce.       

Ingredients-
Butter-5 tablespoons melted. 
Confectioners Sugar-1 cup. 
Dark Rum-2 tablespoons.   

Instructions: 
Combine the melted butter and confectioners sugar until all lumps disappear.  Add in the Rum and mix until smooth.  We warm the sauce up lightly and drizzle it on to the plate then place a piece of the Christmas Pudding on top of the sauce.   

Merry Christmas.