Searcys Festive Recipes

Searcys Christmas Pudding Recipe – Circa 1890’s

Makes 2 x 1.2 litre Classic Pudding Basins.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz dark demerara sugar
• 8 oz chopped suet
• 8 oz sultanas
• 8 oz raisins
• 4 oz currants
• 4 oz shredded mixed candied peel – Cut your own or use ready cut
• 4 oz of plain flour
• 4 oz fine breadcrumbs
• 2 oz flaked almonds
• Rind of 1 lemon (grated)
• Rind of 1 orange (grated)
• 3 free-range eggs
• Pinch of grated fresh nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of mixed spice
• 100 ml stout
• 100 ml of full fat milk (whole – blue top)
• 25 ml of brandy

EQUIPMENT:

• 2 x 1.2 litre pudding basins
• 2 small greaseproof paper disks
• 2 large greaseproof paper disks.
• Large Square of pudding muslin cloth.

METHOD:

1. Place all the fruit in to a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Pour over the stout, milk and brandy (if using) and mix well, cover with cling film and allow to macerate for 4 hours at room temperature.
3. In another large bowl add all the rest of the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4. Break the eggs and whisk well to break them down.
5. Add the soaked fruit to the dry mixture and incorporate thoroughly.
6. Add the beaten eggs and mix well ensuring the mixture is fully incorporated and also all the fruit is evenly dispensed.
7. Grease well the two 1.2 litre pudding basins.
8. Line the bottom of each pudding basin with a small disk of greaseproof paper.
9. Divide the mixture evenly between the two pudding basins, tap lightly on the work surface to ensure the mixture settles in to all the corners and edges.
10. Top with the large disk of greaseproof paper and clean the pudding basin well.
11. Wrap the pudding in the muslin cloth and tie with string to ensure the cloth stays on.
12. Place the pudding basin in a pan and fill with warm water until three quarters up the side of the pudding.
13. Place the pan on the stove and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 6 hours.
14. Ensure the pan is always topped up with hot water to the three quarter level.
15. Remove the pudding from the water and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
16. Serve as required or cool and save for a rainy day.

 

Searcys Christmas Rum Butter Recipe – Circa 1890’s

Makes 250gm

INGREDIENTS:

• 125 gm British unsalted butter, chilled
• 75 gm soft light brown muscovado sugar
• 90 ml strong dark rum

EQUIPMENT:

• 1 x 250ml Kilner Jar – Screw top

METHOD:

1. Cube the chilled butter about a half hour before starting, so that it is almost room temperature.
2. Beat the butter for 1 minute.
3. Add the sugar and beat together until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the rum a teaspoon at a time, beating constantly.
5. Spoon the rum butter into the kilner jar, tapping down to ensure it covers the corners.
6. Close lid and refrigerate until needed.
7. Is best frozen for 1 hour before used.

Searcys Vegan Christmas Pudding

Serves 8, with left-overs to have cold

INGREDIENTS:

• 125g dairy-free margarine, plus extra for greasing the bowl and paper
• 375g dried figs
• 75ml rum
• 300g mixed sultanas and raisins
• 50g mixed peel
• 1 large eating apple, peeled, cored and grated
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zested
• 85g light brown soft sugar
• 85g dark brown soft sugar
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 100g self-raising flour
• ½ tbsp mixed spice

METHOD:

1. Grease a 2-litre pudding bowl with dairy-free margarine, line base with a circle of baking parchment. Grease a large sheet of baking parchment, then lay it on top of a large sheet of foil, margarine side up. Fold a pleat in the middle of each sheet.
2. Roughly chop 125g figs and set aside. Put remaining figs, dairy-free margarine and rum into a large food processor and whizz until smoothish, then scrape into a large mixing bowl. Tip in chopped figs, sultanas, raisins, mixed peel, grated apple, citrus zests, sugars, breadcrumbs, flour and allspice. Stir everything together, then spoon into pudding basin.
3. Cover with buttered paper-foil sheet, tie with string and trim. Lower into a large saucepan, with an upturned saucer or scrunched-up bits of foil in the bottom (to prevent the pud directly sitting on the bottom), then fill pan with enough boiling water from the kettle to come halfway up the sides of bowl. Cover with a lid and simmer for 3 hrs, topping up the water as needed. Remove and leave to cool. Will keep in a cool, dry cupboard for up to a year.

Turkey and Cranberry Tea Sandwich

Makes 1 round of sandwich, serves 3

Prep time – 20 minutes

Production time – 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 slices white split tin bread
• 25g Hellman’s mayonnaise
• 110g roasted turkey
• 30g cranberry chutney
• 15g mixed baby leaf salad

METHOD:

• Spread the Hellman’s mayonnaise onto one slice of bread.
• Top with smoked turkey, ensuring you cover the slice completely to the edges.
• Place the mixed baby leaf on top of the smoked turkey.
• On the other slice of bread spread the Searcys cranberry chutney.
• Place the cranberry slice of bread on the top of the smoked turkey and lightly press to form the sandwich.
• Cut the crusts of the sandwich.
• Cut into 3 finger pieces with a sharp serrated knife and use as required.

 

Turkey and Ham Pie with Bubble and Squeak

Makes 6 portions

Prep time –  1 hour

Cooking time –  30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g plain flour
• 2lt chicken stock
• 200ml double cream
• 500g cooked turkey
• 300g cooked ham
• 1 white onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 200ml white wine
• Olive oil
• 1 packet short crust pastry
• 1 egg
• 50ml milk

METHOD:

• Melt butter in a saucepan and mix in flour, cook for 2 minutes without colour, stirring continuously.
• Whisk in chicken stock, slowly bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until thick, stir in double cream and remove from heat.
• In another saucepan sweat the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until soft, add the white wine and reduce by 2/3.
• Combine the two sauces and simmer gently.
• Cut the ham and turkey into 2 cm dice and add to the sauce, check the seasoning, remove from the heat and place in a pie dish.
• Whisk the egg and milk together and brush the sides of the pie dish.
• Roll out the pastry and cover the pie dish, trim around the edges and brush with the egg.
• Preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 5, place the pie in the centre of the oven and bake for approx. 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

To make individual pies you would need to line a 3-inch metal ring with the pastry, then fill with the turkey and ham filling and seal with a pastry lid, then bake for the same time.

For the bubble and squeak, take all your leftover vegetables, potatoes and stuffing and mash in a bowl with a potato masher, take a small handful of the mix and mould into a cake, pan fry in a little goose fat until golden brown on each side. This is great served as an accompaniment for the pie and a good way to use up all those Christmas leftovers.

Clementine Macaroons

Makes 20 macarons

Prep time – 60 minutes

Production time – 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Macaroon dough
• 100g icing sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• 40g egg white
• 25g water
• 100g caster sugar
• 5 ml orange food colouring

Butter cream

• 300g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 500g icing sugar
• 1-2 clementines, juiced and zested

METHOD:

• Mix the icing sugar and the ground almonds together in a bowl.
• Mix in the egg white and the orange food colouring.
• Put the water and the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until mixed but not aerated.
• When the sugar reaches a temperature of 115°C remove from the heat.
• Pour the syrup onto the egg mixture, whipping vigorously.
• Keep whipping until the temperature has dropped to 50°C.
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a round tube piping nozzle.
• Pipe 40 x 5cm balls at regular intervals on a baking tray covered with a silicone sheet.
• Let the macaroons crust for 30 minutes before baking them at 150°C for 30 minutes.
• Detach the shells when they are cold.
• To make the butter cream, add the unsalted butter, cream cheese, icing sugar in to a mixing bowl.
• Whisk on a high speed until light and fluffy.
• Add clementine juice and zest and whisk to incorporate.
• To build your macaroons, sandwich together the macaroon shells with the clementine buttercream and gently press to hold.

 

Christmas Pudding Trifle

Makes 1 large or 6 small

Prep time – 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3 oranges
• 1 tbsp Demerara sugar
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 300g leftover Christmas pudding
• 500g custard
• 250g mascarpone
• 285ml double cream
• To serve, toasted flaked almonds and grated dark chocolate

METHOD:

• Peel the oranges and slice thinly, place on a plate and sprinkle with brandy.
• Crumble the Christmas pudding and place in the bottom of a trifle bowl or divide between glasses.
• Place a layer of oranges on top and pour over any juices.
• Beat the mascarpone until smooth then stir in the custard. Spoon the mixture on top of the oranges.
• Lightly whip the cream and spoon over the custard.
• Sprinkle with flaked almonds and chocolate.

 

Chocolate and Cranberry Tiffin

Makes 20 pieces

Prep time – 20 minutes

Production time – 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

• 200g ginger biscuits
• 60g dried cranberries
• 60g crystallised ginger
• 50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 125g salted butter
• 50g golden syrup
• 700g dark chocolate, chopped

METHOD:

• Line a 20cm brownie tin with baking paper.
• Crush the biscuits by putting them in a bowl and smashing them with a rolling pin.
• Tip them into a bowl and add the cranberries, ginger and pecans.
• Put the butter, golden syrup and 500g chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt them over a pan of warm water.
• Once fully melted and smooth pour over the biscuit mix and stir until everything is coated.
• Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and press down.
• Place in the fridge to set.
• Melt the rest of the chocolate as before and spread it on top of the set tiffin.
• Top with a little more chopped ginger if you like.
• Leave to cool and set completely in the fridge
• Lift the tiffin out of the tin and cut into your desired size.

 

Festive Spiced Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding

Prep time –  20 minutes

Cooking time –  40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 25g butter
• 1 large panettone
• 50g sultanas
• 50g dried apricot
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 350ml milk
• 50ml double cream
• 2 eggs
• 25g sugar

METHOD:

• Grease pie dish with butter.
• Slice the panettone around 1cm thick and butter one side then cut into desired shape
• Arrange a layer of panettone in the bottom of the dish followed by a layer of dried fruit, continue this process until all the fruit and panettone are used up ensuring there is a layer of panettone on top.
• Gently warm the milk, cream and spices in a pan over a low heat, do not boil.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl and add three quarters of the sugar, whisk until pale.
• Add the warm milk mixture to the eggs and stir well then strain.
• Pour the custard mix over the prepared layers of panettone.
• Sprinkle with remaining sugar and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• Place the dish in the oven on gas mark 4 180c and bake for 30 – 40 minutes.

Serve warm with double cream.

We would love to see your creations! Tag us on social media @SearcysLondon #StayinwithSearcys