Cake 29, Saucy Pud, Very Mixed Very Cheap Getting Closer

Alison Holst's, once more. Maybe she's my hero?

Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Lightly butter an ovenware dish, about 20cm across. Sift 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour (69 cents) and 2 Tb cocoa (36 cents) into the dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar (19 cents), then add 1/2 cup milk (22.5 cents) and mix together (it's quite tough to mix, I've always wondered if it's meant to be more milk, but this is from a recipe book that's all about the budgeting...).
Spread fairly evenly over the base of the dish.
Mix together 1 Tb cocoa (18 cents) and 1/2 cup sugar (19 cents) in another bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the mixture in the dish. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water (don't know how much it costs to boil a jug...) gently over the surface, over the back of a spoon.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the centre feels firm. Apparently this was 22cents per serve (serves 4) back in 1993.
After some careful maths, I've worked out how much it costs per serve (based on 4 servings per pud): 46 cents. That's very cheap. It seems Alison knows her stuff.
My prices are based on Homebrand products from the Foodtown website, so no special prices included.

Cake 15, Brandy-Sozzled Xmas Pudding

So I've made my Christmas pudding :) It's currently resting in the fridge, waiting for the next brandy dousing. I think I found this recipe in a foodie magazine, it makes quite a nice pud (I used this one last year). I decided to let the fruit soak in stout and brandy overnight, which will definitely enhance the flavour.

Christmas Pudding

Combine in a large bowl:
210g chopped nuts
2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups mixed dried cherries/fruit (I used a mix of currants, sultanas and raisins)
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup muscovado sugar
1/2 cup chopped prunes
1/2 cup chopped figs (figs were too expensive, so I used dates)
1/2 cup flour
125g chilled, grated butter

Beat together the following in a separate bowl:
1/2 cup guinness (I used a mix of Cooper's Stout and brandy, and actually soaked the fruit in it overnight. It's not really necessary, but I want a boozy pudding)
4 eggs
1 Tb golden syrup
grated rind of a lemon and an orange

Combine the two mixtures, and add:
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ginger

Grease and line the base of a pudding basin, and fill with the mix. Cover with two layers of baking paper and one of tinfoil, and tie a piece of string around the rim. If you can, tie another piece across the top so you have a handle for lifting it out of the pot.
Place a large pot on the stove, and fold up an old tea towel and place it in the bottom. Place the basin so it sits on top of the tea towel (this stops the bottom of the pudding from overcooking - you could use an upturned saucer instead). Fill the pot with boiling water until it is filled just below the rim of the basin. Cover, turn the heat to low, and boil for 3 hours.

To store, remove from the water and allow to cool. Keep it in the fridge, or in a cool dry cupboard. If you like, you can open the covering and pour brandy on the pudding every now and then :)
To reheat, do the same boiling thing for another three hours. Turn onto a plate, and serve hot with brandy butter and/or cream  and/or custard.

And now I leave it in the fridge for a week, and pour brandy over it every day.... I wish someone would do that to me :(