Plum Pudding
Contributed by: News Canada
Molasses - the ultimate 'comfort food' ingredient
(NC) - Have you noticed how many wonderful childhood memories are rooted in the kitchens of our childhood homes? I overheard a lady tasting a snappy Gingersnap cookie recently, her eyes glazed over with memories, saying, "Mmmm, tastes like my childhood."
In today's hectic times, when busy homemakers have little time to cook, it seems that we are either buying some "fortified good-for-you product that nobody can pronounce" or we are buying some pre-made ready to serve something from the supermarket. What ever happened to those wonderful "comfort foods" with the fantastic fragrances that filled the house when we arrived home for supper?
Think about this... Many of these memorable childhood favourites use molasses as the key ingredient:
Molasses Cookies, Ginger Snaps, Brown Bread, Banana Bread, Hot Cross Buns, Bran Muffins, Molasses Taffy, Peanut Brittle, Plum Pudding, Gingerbread, Christmas Fruit Cake, Mincemeat, Shoo-Fly Pie, Baked Beans, Barbecue Sauce, and on and on. Recipe ideas are available online at www.crosbys.com.
There are a host of easy recipes that can re-awaken your childhood memories, and, in fact, start your family on their journey to enjoying real food again.
Molasses is the key ingredient in so many wonderful recipes that will always be in fashion.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup melted shortening
- 3/4 cup Fancy Molasses
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1/4 cup fruit juice
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. cloves
- 1 1/2 cups seeded raisins
- 1 1/2 cups currants
- 3/4 cup cut citron
- 1 1/4 cups mixed peel
Hard Sauce
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine 2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp. milk
- 2 tbsp. Fancy Molasses
- 1 tsp. flavouring or
- 1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
Directions:
Mix shortening, Fancy Molasses, beaten eggs and fruit juice in one bowl.
Sift dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Add fruit and mix thoroughly. Pour into a well greased 2-quart mold. Cover tightly. Steam 4 to 5 hours. Serve piping hot with Hard Sauce.
Hard Sauce
Cream butter or margarine until smooth. Blend in confectioner's sugar along with milk and Fancy Molasses. Beat in flavouring or orange rind. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
