Wartime Christmas Carrot Pudding

Sunday Blessings Lovelies

A boys' choir at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City
sings Christmas carols in a dress rehearsal for the Christmas Day service in 1940.

The First Nowell 

by Dick Haymes and The Song Spinners, 1944

Its the last few days before the celebration of our Saviours birth. It filled my heart with joy singing His praises in church this morning

Photo: December 1941

Everything is ready for Christmas with just a couple of dishes to prep. So MrD and I could afford to relax for the afternoon ready for the busy few days ahead

One of the last things will be our Christmas pudding. I made it last year for the first time and it was a huge success. It was the only part of our dinner I was worried about. It’s a recipe I had put off for a couple of years...even though its one from my Nanas wartime collection.. although I’m sure there are variations out there…

So this, my friends, is a Carrot Christmas Pudding.. Looks perfectly normal... except for some of the ingredients. As well as the usual dried fruit and delicious spices.. it contains grated carrot.. and wait for it.. grated potato!

Now I wasn't too sure what it was going to taste like but it smelled divine.. and felt very moist and springy to the touch.. But, I need not have worried as it was a huge success.. No one knew what was in it... and although surprised.. didnt seem to mind when told of the ingredients

It was actually delicious.. not too heavy.. and only slightly improved by a little Birds custard…and thats why I will be making it again this Christmas

1 cup carrots (packed), finely grated (about 2 carrots)
1 cup potatoes (packed), finely grated (about 2 potatoes)
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup beef suet
¾ cup raisins
½ cup currants
1 cup all-purpose flour (plus 2 tsp for coating dried fruit)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
unsalted butter (for greasing the basin)

• Grease the bottom and inner sides of a 2 pint (1 Litre) pudding basin
• Cut a small circle of parchment paper to cover bottom of basin.
• Set in bottom and grease top side
• Put a large stock pot on stove over low heat with enough water to reach about ½ way up the pudding basin when immersed.
• Cover and bring water to a gentle simmer.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
• In a separate small bowl, toss the raisins and currants in 2 tsp of flour until evenly coated.
• Grate carrots and potatoes.
• Sprinkle baking soda over grated potatoes and stir to combine.

• In a large bowl, mix together grated carrots, the grated potatoes, sugar, raisins and currants.
• Mix in the suet
• Add in flour/spice mixture and stir just until combined.

• Transfer the mixture into pudding basin.
• With the back of a spoon, press mixture down gently

• Cover top of container with aluminum foil
• Secure the foil with a piece of kitchen twine tied around the circumference.
• Form a handle for easy lifting by cutting a second piece of kitchen twine
• Tie each end to the first piece of twine at two places across from one another.
• Set container into stock pot of simmering water, ensuring that water level still reaches about ½ way up.
• Cover stock pot with lid and bring water back to a gentle simmer.
• Add in additional hot water, as necessary, to maintain water level.
• Allow pudding to steam for at least 3 hours, until a toothpick inserted into the top of the pudding comes out clean

• Remove container from stock pot and allow the pudding to cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes before unmolding.

• Serve warm, topped with a dollop of cream, brandy butter.. or my favourite... Birds Custard

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 4 months when it can be defrosted and resteamed for an hour

Wartime ChocolateTruffles

Happy Tuesday Lovelies

Photo:1940

No matter what time of year it is... housework never completely stops..

 including the ironing... 

Proctor electrical appliances ad

December 1947

And as a housewife.. I would be pleased to receive any household appliance as a Christmas present...

Photo: 1940

I must admit MrD is very thoughtful with the gifts he chooses for me

And talking of gifts.. this is a very easy Chocolate Truffle recipe from 1940. This Second World War recipe leaflet is for cakes, biscuits and sweets using Fry's cocoa. Very simple to put together and you could also  add other flavourings like orange or rum. They make an ideal last minute gift.

Frys Recipe Leaflet 1940

2 tablespoons dried milk (rounded)

2 tablespoons Fry's cocoa (rounded)
3 tablespoons sugar (rounded)
1 tablespoon margarine (rounded)
1 tablespoon fresh milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Original Recipe

• Mix dried milk and cocoa in a basin.
• Melt sugar and margarine with the rest of the milk in a pan.
• When warm, stir in vanilla, dried milk, and cocoa.
• Beat until smooth.
• Leave until almost set.
• Roll into balls and dust with cocoa, powdered sugar or roll in coconut 

Wartime Mock Marzipan

Happy Saturday Lovelies

Well today it was time to start icing my Christmas cake.. and you can't have a British Christmas Cake without a marzipan layer between the top of the cake and the icing... even in wartime.

This recipe for Mock Marzipan comes from the 1945 Ministry of Food leaflet.. and quite honestly I really like it.

I used the syrup instead of sugar.. and I used plain flour instead of soya as I couldn’t justify the expense of buying something I probably wouldnt use again. But it turned out great and I loved the taste. It was very soft to roll.. but after chilling for a couple of hours it was much firmer. And while not quite the same as real marzipan, it was a really good substitute.

This recipe will cover a small fruit cake... so I doubled it for mine. Now its drying til tomorrow until its dry enough to ice

1 tablespoon water
1 oz. margarine
1 teaspoon ratafia or almond essence
2 oz. sugar or syrup
2 oz. soya flour

• Melt margarine in water
• Add essence and sugar, then soya flour. 
• Turn on to a board and knead well.
• Roll out the marzipan to the size of the top of your Christmas cake
• Brush the top of your cake with your favourite jam...apricot is lovely
• Carefully place the marzipan on top.. flattening the outside to make a neat edge
• Allow to dry before decorating the top with royal, fondant.. or even Mock Icing

Wartime Gingerbread Men (and Women)

Happy Thursday Lovelies

Its really quite chilly in the mornings now... and its getting light later and later. But it doesn't stop me from sitting on the front porch to drink my first cuppa of the day...

and watching the most amazing sunrises over the mountains

Christmas cookie season is here, and there isn't  a cookie that’s more festive than gingerbread men.

And because Christmas is not Christmas without a gingerbread man... or woman... even in wartime.. the Ministry of Food devised this delightful recipe.

The recipe is quite easy...although I did chill the dough before rolling. The cookies were delicious.. and the family really enjoyed them

2 oz. sugar or syrup

2 oz. margarine

8 oz. plain flour

½ level teaspoon mixed spice

2 level teaspoons ginger

few drops of lemon substitute

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda.

• Melt in a pan the syrup or sugar and margarine. 
• Pour into a bowl. 
• Add some flour and the spice and lemon substitute. 
• Stir well. 
• Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in a tablespoon of tepid water and add to the mixture. 
• Continue stirring, gradually adding more flour.  
• Turn out the mixture on to a well-floured board. 
• Knead in the remainder of the flour. 
• Roll out the dough until about 1/8 inch thick and cut out approx 10 gingerbread men. 
• Cook in the centre of an oven at 180 C for 15 minutes
• Cool and remove to a wire tray
• When cold decorate with icing, sprinkles and fondant shapes

Wartime Christmas Cake

Happy Saturday Lovelies...

And I must say.. I do love weekends as I get to have breakfast with my dear hubby.. no rush.. no fuss and lots of conversation... The perfect start to a busy day!

For breakfast we had some tasty Potatoes O'Brien made with our stored potatoes an peppers from  our Victory Garden. I'm so grateful that our garden is still producing... and topped with poached eggs from our Girls... it really was a home grown meal

So the prepping for winter continues and MrD has finished splitting and stacking all the wood we will need for the coming months. We were so blessed to be gifted with logs earlier this year when we helped our friends clear a fallen tree. It should see us through... and some.

As for me it was time to make our Christmas cake... and oh my goodness the kitchen smells amazing

I know for some it may be too early to even think about Christmas... but when you  do your own baking you need a head start. Especially with the rich, fruit cake. It needs plenty of time to be 'fed' weekly and let the flavours mature before icing at the beginning of December

This is a recommended Christmas Cake recipe from the Ministry of Food in the mid 1940’s and the rationed ingredients make a very acceptable cake. For me..it always turns out well... and is a family favourite.

1 lb. mixed dried fruit
6 tablespoons of brandy (or alcohol of choice)

3 oz. sugar
4 oz. margarine
3 level tablespoons warmed treacle or syrup
8 oz. plain flour
Level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt.
1 level teaspoon cinnamon,
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
2 eggs, fresh or dried
3 tablespoons cold tea.

• The day before baking, put the dried fruit in a bowl
• Mix them with the brandy
• Cover with a cloth and leave them to soak for a minimum of 12 hours.

• Line a 7 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• Pre-heat oven to 150 C, 300 F, Gas Mark 2.
• Cream the sugar and margarine together
• Beat in the treacle or syrup.
• Mix the flour, soda, salt and spices together.
• Add alternately with the eggs to the creamed mixture
• Beat well.
• Add the fruit and mix in the tea.

• Put the mixture into the tin, lined with greased paper
• Bake in a very moderate oven for 2½ hours.
• You may need to cover top with foil half way through cooking
• Cool in the tin.
• When cool remove from the tin and place in airtight container.
• Feed weekly by poking holes over the cake with a skewer
• Then pour a couple of Tablespoons of Brandy over the surface.
• This is not mandatory.. but it will keep the cake moist and develop a richer taste

Original Ministry of Food Christmas recipe