Xmas pudding and things related

[Millymollymandy]

Finally made the Crimbo puds yesterday but I've got to unwrap them today and see what they look like! 8 hours of steaming - thank god for cheap bottle gas hob.

I think the total cost was something in the region of about €15/£11 but that's made 2 x one pint puds. Probably not a lot more than buying two that size in the end.

However I'm now left with 125g of candied orange peel - to be used up by September next year. And as some of you know from previous discussions, this is mega expensive stuff in France!

Any ideas what I can do with it?????? Or do you think it might freeze so I could use it in next year's pud?

[Shirley]

Might not save you money on the shop bought puds, but I bet they'll taste so much better - and you know exactly what went into them too.

Why not sell the rest of your chopped peel lol.... undercut the local shop

It might freeze - but I'm sure there are lots of recipes that it can be used in.

Can you make your own candied orange peel?? I've just googled and found this : http://ilforno.typepad.com/il_forno/200 ... ange_.html

Shirlz

[Muddypause]

I'm now left with 125g of candied orange peel...

... this is mega expensive stuff in France!

Any ideas what I can do with it??????

Sell it on eBay?

I was always given to believe that xmas puds would keep for a long time (all that alcohol and sugar, I guess), but I've not been able to find out just how long. I remember from my childhood, that a spare pudding remained in the meat safe for months after christmas, and I was told we were going to have it for the following christmas - but I don't think we ever did.

Maybe you could make next year's puds in September. Delia's site suggests keeping xmas puddings under the bed! I'd also bet that the candied orange peel would keep much longer than it says on the packet.

Nicest xmas pudding I can remember tasting was made with Norfolk Punch instead of alcohol.

[ina]

If the packet is still sealed, it'll definitely keep longer than September. Those dates are generally "best before" dates; i.e., the product might loose some of it's flavour, but it'll still be ok to eat. And candied peel - that's mostly sugar, which will keep forever. If you don't eat it.

And that's the same with the puds: They'll keep until they are eaten ! They are so full of sugar (from the fruit, if not added sugar), that they can't really go off. Unless the mice find it.

I'm still on this weird (but for me very beneficial) diet without sugar, and am now experimenting with recipes that contain neither sugar nor eggs (as in a food combining diet, if anybody's heard of that)! Had a try at modifying one of the vegan choc cakes on that thread, and it was really nice - if not very sweet, more like really dark chocolate! And it definitely won't keep very long. Half eaten already...

Ina

[Millymollymandy]

So a good thing you didn't get any chickens then Ina!

I put the peel in the fridge - and I also recently discovered it's about a euro cheaper in another supermarket. Typical! But the Xmas puds will be eaten, no problems in that department.

[ina]

Mandy, I still eat eggs - quite a lot of them. I don't mix them with food that's rich in carbohydrates, though - have a look at this article, if you are interested: http://www.synergy-health.co.uk/articles/haydiet.html
Just to prove that I'm doing the right thing with this diet, I couldn't resist yesterday and started on a (German) Christmas cake. Had some yesterday and some today, and was promptly sick again. Gggrrrr....
As long as I stick to the rules, I feel no twinges or worse in my stomach, and I seem to have more energy, too. So I suppose I'd better stick to it. It's a bit weird having the bread without cheese, and cheese without bread - but you get used to it!

So the chickens are still on the agenda. Next year, definitely. Well, hopefully . (I know my good intentions!)

Ina