Help! need a fast Christmas Pudding recipe

calista, Jul 6, 4:29am
Yes, you can use metal bowls in a crockpot - I do it every year.

patsprat, Jul 12, 10:09pm
Going to a Mid Winter Christmas on Saturday and discover that I'm on pudding, specifically Christmas pudding. Have located an old fashioned pudding basin but now discover that most recipes involve about 10 hours of steaming and then a couple more on the day! Ummm, don't think so, has anyone got a recipe for something that looks & tastes like a traditional pud but cheats? As a last resort I could microwave it I guess. (if it was Christmas time I'd buy one) any suggestions out there? Thanks :)

cgvl, Jul 12, 10:35pm
my mum made a Edmonds recipe steamed pudding with mixed fruit as a Christmas pudding. Was fairly rich and not sure if it was the three quarter hour one or the one that took about an hour and a half. She used the basic recipe and added whatever she had on hand to it. ie could be jam pudding or spice or fruit.

patsprat, Jul 12, 10:50pm
Thanks, cgvl, I hadn't got to the Edmonds book yet, just googled madly and found all these 10 hour jobs. That will likely be the best option, no one's going to know when it's doused in brandy and a whole lot of custard.
Just as well the weather's turned really cold.

nauru, Jul 13, 7:09am
I always cook my Christmas pudding in my crockpot. Cuts out the long process of cooking, pot watching old fashioned way of cooking. I always use the following recipe from Joan Bishop's Crockpot book and just reheat it in the MW at time of eating, doesn't even have to mature so you can eat it straight away.
100g soft breadcrumbs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
600g mixed dried fruit
1/2 teasp ground nutmeg,
1 teasp mixed spice,
1 teasp ground cinnamon,
1/2 teasp ground ginger
100g butter
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/4 cup milk
1 teasp baking soda
2 eggs beaten
1 tablsp brandy

Preheat CP on high for 20 minutes. Grease (8 cup capacity) pudding basin. Mix together in a large bowl breadcrumbs, flour and sugar. Add dried fruit & spices, stir well. Melt butter & syrup in a pan, remove from heat and add milk and soda, stir until dissolved. Add eggs and brandy. Pour liquid ingredients into flour mixture and stir thoroughly. Pour mixture into prepared pudding basin and cover tightly with both baking paper then foil and tie with string. Put basin into CP and place on a trivet in the base. Pour 3 cups boiling water around basin. Cover with lid and cook on high for 6-8 hours. Enjoy

daarhn, Jul 13, 7:25am
Try this. Sweet dates and caramel turn traditional spiced fruit pudding into a new Christmas classic.
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/sticky-date-christmas-pudding/5937d78e-ed40-4773-b72d-0c5003167a12

eclair5, Jul 13, 7:54am
This is the one I use, it's lovely. It says to leave the fruit to soak overnight but you don't have to, a few hours would be okay. It makes a really lovely Christmas pudding that doesn't sit like a brick in your stomach!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmaspudding_90194

daarhn, Jul 13, 8:01am

patsprat, Jul 30, 5:44pm
Oh you lovely people, thank you for all your great recipes!
Going with either éclair's recipe which is 4 hours but a whole lot quicker than 6 - 8 or Nauru's crockpot one
Question to Nauru - could you use a metal pudding basin in a slow cooker? My SC is a large oval one, I guess the principle is the same? Your CP is smaller & round I'm thinking.
Again, thanks for all the great suggestions.