Christmas pudding in the slow cooker

preskoolteacha, Oct 15, 4:36am
has anyone ever made this! it is my job to do the pudding this yr and i thought i'd give this a go, but have a trial run thru first.
i got the recipe from here and thought seemed quite good.
i wondered what kind of bowl one would use, is it ok to use stainess steel in the slow cooker!
can you just just a kg bag of mixed fruit that you buy at a supermarket!
i have 2 recovering alcoholics in the family so would need to soak in orange juice.

does anyone have any tips to share!

245sam, Oct 15, 4:43am
preskoolteacha, try doing a search here on the Recipes MB using e.g. Christmas pudding as the Keywords and Last year as the Date posted option, although I don't think you will need to look very far back - I'm fairly sure this has been discussed quite recently but in any case you should find several earlier threads that should help you out.:-))

preskoolteacha, Oct 15, 4:54am
thanx 245sam i found it ages ago and put it on my hd but i wanted to know if anyone has cooked it, do you think i should try and resurect the thread!

jen69, Oct 15, 5:21pm
I have made my christmas pudding in the slow cooker a couple of times with great results. I usually put an old 50c coint or two in centre at bottom of crockpot as a trivet, so water can get under the bowl. I use a usual steamed pudding bowl with lid and grease proof paper as an extra precaution, however have never had water get in to the pud.I fill the crockpot two thirds way up with boiling water. I recheck that water level hasnt dropped during the cooking time. As for fruit I just get what evers cheapest ie at Binn Inn or PaknSave.Hope that helps.

dreamers, Oct 15, 7:37pm
I make whatever recipe I decide on and sit the bowl on a biscuit cutter ring,fill with lots of water and leave on low all night and in the morning it's cooked and smelling divive.

preskoolteacha, Oct 16, 1:17am
thanx very much jen69 that is helpful *makes note to check out binn in*

the one i got off here near the beginning of the yr looks complicated.umm what is a trivet! i also don't have a steamed pud bowl with a lid *wonders do i need to go shopping!*

preskoolteacha, Oct 16, 1:18am
dreamers i have a tuperware round biscuit cutter would that be alright in the slow cooker!

preskoolteacha, Oct 16, 5:17am
valentino how many would this feed we have 12

ayglepaygle, Oct 16, 5:34am
For a trivet, use three coins under the bowl, a cookie cutter ring, asdreamers said,upturned saucer or I use the ring from a preserving jar. It doesn't really matter so long as the pudding bowl is lifted from the bottom so the water can get around it.You don't need to buy a bowl with a lid, just cover tightly with baking paper or tinfoil and tie around with string. Any heatproof bowl will do - I've used both glass and stainless steel successfully.

nzhel, Oct 16, 5:41am
I have done my Xmas pudding in my crockpot now for several years and it turns out very moist and dark. I usually sit it on a poached egg ring in the cooker and use a s/steel pudding bowl that has a clip on lid. I put baking paper under the lid. After it has cooked and cooled I put it in the freezer still in the bowl. At Xmas I thaw for a couple of days in the fridge, pour a little brandy or rum over it to soak in - (you could probably use orange juice) and reheat again on the day in the crockpot for around 3 hours or so. Its really good using the crockpot on Xmas day as you can put it on to reheat and just forget about it tho may need to check the water level. Its just one less thing to do on the day if you are the host.
Mixed fruit from the supermarket will be perfectly fine for the pudding.
Another hint I've used for years is to make up the custard (if you are doing homemade from scratch) early in the morning and pour it into a wide neck thermos. It keeps hot and is ready to serve and again is another job out of the way!

valentino, Oct 16, 7:09am
We usually have large numbers and this was tremendous as a small serving goes a long way, if a normal serving - one will feel totally satisfied and will think twice about having something else.

I would double the mixture for 12 though and have at least a 4 to 5 Litre size slow cooker.

We use to make up a mixture 6 times cooked in a huge Stainless Steel double boiler on a gas ring to feed about 80 to 100 street kids etc before Christmas.

It is a real tummy filler but also absolutely lovely hence the trap of over-eating and want-to-stay-put-wise.

Hopes this helps. Cheers

preskoolteacha, Oct 16, 10:36am
nzhel um one problem re heating i am taking this to my aunts, going to my parents on christmas eve then down to aunts christmas day.eek have i bitten off more than i can chew!

preskoolteacha, Oct 16, 10:38am
valentino eeek double it.not sure i have a stainless steel bowl big/deep enuf

valentino, Oct 16, 8:19pm
Just a big mixing bowl or do one lot then do the other lot added to the first.

It just goes straight into the slow cooker, do not need any extra bowls etc.

If transporting to another place then just keep after cooking the pudding in the slow cooker and plug in when arrive at other home and continue to keep the warm heating.

Cheers.

nzhel, Oct 16, 10:40pm
Are you driving! - if so you might be able to take your slow cooker with you. If not just reheat in the normal way - in a pot large enough to fit the pudding bowl in and fill part way up with boiling water. I would still reheat for around a couple of hours and top up the water as needed. It should come to half way to three quarters of the way up the sides of the bowl and just have the element turned to a gentle slow boil. You could always slice the pudding into serving sizes and reheat in a microwave which I have never done myself as I think the long reheating helps make the pudding very moist.
You should find people don't want or need a huge slice either after the main meal.

preskoolteacha, Oct 17, 5:25am
so nzhel nuking it isn't advised! that is the easiest way.
oh yes you are right and my aunt does the full on roast *rolls eyes*
yanno turkey, lamb and roast veges.i love ham nice and hot with a nice apricot glaze on it.

preskoolteacha, Oct 17, 5:25am
valentinothanx doll will do a trial run thru soon

preskoolteacha, Oct 20, 12:50am
Another hint I've used for years is to make up the custard (if you are doing homemade from scratch) early in the morning and pour it into a wide neck thermos. It keeps hot and is ready to serve and again is another job out of the way![/quote]

duh why did i not read small hint before what a good idea,,maybe i should have a trial run of the custard as well.i think i have your pudding in the slow cooker atm are you the one who posted in another thread and it has a carrot and breadcrumbs in! i liked the look of that,,sounded so much easier than the alison holst one. fingers crossed i don't butcher it up.will have to try and get a piece up to my nan to trial and see if it is satisfactory.shes 85 and that has always been her job.i recall my poppa'sjob was to boil the money and put it in her pudding

preskoolteacha, Oct 20, 10:43am
well i made it,, took it out to have a taste test.woah it is mega sweet/rich