Neddy’s Kitchen

1/4 cup chopped suet
2 tablespoons pared, chopped apple
2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel
2 tablespoons candied lemon peel
2/3 cups chopped citron
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup currants
2 cups dry bread crumbs
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup raspberry preserves
4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup brandy
1/3 cup dry white wine
Boiling water

• In a large bowl combine suet, fruits, bread crumbs, spices, salt, sugar, and preserves.
• With an egg beater beat eggs until foamy.
• Stir in milk, brandy and wine.
• Fold egg mixture into fruit mixture, combining well.
• Turn batter into a well greased two quart pudding mold with tight fitting cover.
• Place mold on trivet in a large kettle.
• Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the mold.
• Cover kettle and steam pudding four hours (water in kettle should boil gently, add more water if needed).
• Remove pudding to rack and let cool five minutes, invert on serving plate, lift off mold.

This pudding can be made at least one month before Christmas. It comes from Ms. Marple’s website, which is no longer found.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup lemon curd
3 cup fruit, (raspberries blueberries sliced bananas peaches)
1 container whipped cream, (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 425º F.

COMBINE flour, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Add milk and eggs; whisk until blended.

PLACE butter in 9-inch pie plate; melt in oven for 2 to 4 minutes or until butter sizzles. Remove from oven; immediately pour batter into hot plate.

BAKE for 14 to 18 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Spread curd over pancake. Cut pancake into wedges; top with fresh fruit and whipped cream if desired.

Prep Time 15 minutes.
Cooking Time 18 minutes.
Serves 4.

Cookbook: Nestle® Very Best Baking

This crust is so perfect, there is no necessity of blind-baking. Ice-cold water can be used in place of the milk which will make a crisper crust. Made with milk, the crust is more tender and can be used for free-form pies. Although I have never tried it, others say that this recipe is delicious using butter flavored Crisco instead of the oil. Below is a picture of the lattice top cherry pie that I made at Christmas using this pie crust recipe.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon sugar or Splenda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3-4 tablespoons cold milk

Mix flour, sugar and salt in bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture is consists of pea size lumps. With a fork stir in the vegetable oil and milk. When dough is moist and holds together, form into ball. Place in a kitchen plastic bag and flatten into a disk. Wrap and chill until dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.

Food Processor Method: Mix flour, sugar and salt in processor. Cut in the butter using six on/off pulses, or until the mixture consists of pea size lumps. Pour the combined milk and oil into the running the food processor, just until moist clumps form. Adding more cold milk if the dough seems too dry.

Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface making a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold overhang under. Crimp edges decoratively. (If the crust is prepared ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.)

Makes one 9-inch crust. Double recipe for a double crusted pie.

This recipe was adapted from one appearing in the newspaper by Elinor Klivans.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla

• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until eggs stand up in stiff peaks, but are not dry.
• Boil sugar and water for two minutes.
• Immediately pour boiling syrup into egg whites, beating at highest speed on mixer.
• When icing becomes stiff enough to spread (about 2-4 minutes), add vanilla.

Spread between layers, on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with 2 cups fresh coconut, shredded (optional).

From "Virginia Hospitality", 1975. 

This is a wonderful easily made cake that forms its own meringue frosting as it bakes. 

Cream together until fluffy –
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar 

Beat until lemon colored and add –
4 egg yolks

Sift together and add –
1 scant cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Add and mix well –
3 tablespoons milk

Pour into a greased and floured 9" square pan. Spread top with meringue –
4 egg whites, beaten to foam

Gradually add and beat to stiff peaks –
3/4 cup sugar

Fold in carefully –
1/2 cup English walnuts, finely chopped

Bake 40 minutes in a 375 degree oven, until the meringue is light brown and inserted toothpick comes out dry.

(From "Hadley’s Natural Foods Cookbook", 1977) 

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or light corn syrup
1/2 cup Steen’s 100% Cane Syrup or molasses
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 1/2 - 2 cups pecans, whole or coarsely chopped

1 9-inch pie shell, partially baked*.

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Combine all ingredients except the pecans and mix well. Add the pecans into the mixture and pour into the pie shell. If using unchopped pecans, gently turn over the pecan halves to face right-side up.

3. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet, in case of drips. Bake at 325 degrees on the lowest rack of the preheated oven until just set, about 45 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. To make neat slices, freeze the pie first and then slice the entire pie into wedges using a serrated knife.  Allow to come to room temperature before serving. A French-type tart tin with removable sides makes the slices especially attractive.

Serves 8.

*Prebaking is optional, but recommended as it results in a pie crust that is less soggy. Weight down the inside of the crust and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter (no substitutes)
2 cups broken pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 

Stir to dissolve the baking soda in buttermilk in a heavy 4 quart saucepan.

Add the sugar, butter and corn syrup.

Place the mixture over medium-high heat and stir constantly until it starts to boil.

Stop stirring and use a wet paper towel to remove any grains of sugar that hae adhered to the sides of the pan.

Insert a candy thermometr, lower the heat and boil gently until it registers 244 degrees. 

Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the pecans and the vanilla. 

The mixture will start to thicken almost immediately, so quickly begin dropping it by teaspoons onto an oiled surface. The candy will harden as it cools.

Makes about 1 3/4 pounds of candy (40 to 50 pieces).

May be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for one month. It can be stored frozen for up to six months. 

Cook to a soft-ball stage.

Beat and add chopped nuts.