Buzz
We’ve arrived at the fifth chapter of my Christmas Pudding Chronicles, marking the fourth week of aging a traditional boozy fruit-filled cake, perfect for flambéing on Christmas Day. If you're new to this series, feel free to catch up with the first post here, learn how to make the cake here, discover how to ‘cure’ it here, and dive into the history of aging desserts (sometimes in animal stomachs) through these links. This week marks the final stage before the grand reveal on Christmas Day, and it's the perfect moment for another brandy soak and preparing a rich ‘hard sauce.’
Feed the pudding for heaven’s sake
By now, it feels like I’m nurturing a little cupboard companion. I’ve been keeping it in the cabinet where I store my cookware, so we have a daily check-in. Each time I retrieve a frying pan, we lock eyes, exchange a quick nod, and I shut the door. Today is ‘feeding’ day, so Li’l Pud gets to come out and enjoy some brandy. Soaking the cake with a tablespoon or two of brandy weekly is a traditional, yet optional, part of the Christmas pudding ritual. I wanted to fully embrace the experience, so I opted in.
I’ve experimented with applying the brandy using a pastry brush, a spritzer, and this week, a turkey baster. I was tempted to just plunge the baster into the brandy bottle, but something about it didn’t feel quite right. Plus, my baster doesn’t have a measuring function, so that wouldn’t have worked. Instead, I measured out one and a half tablespoons into a bowl and applied it from there. The turkey baster was great for precision, but unless someone suggests a more interesting method in the comments, I’ll probably return to the pastry brush—it's the simplest and quickest option.
After the brandy soak, I thought, “Alright, time to get you all dressed up,” and re-covered my Christmas pudding. I’ve come to realize I could never be a farmer of animals. Here I am, naming a four-week-old fruit cake, and when the time comes to harvest it... well, I’m not sure how I’ll handle that.
What in the world is “hard sauce”?
Hard sauce is a traditional topping for figgy pudding, though it's more precisely called brandy butter. The name “hard sauce” creates some intrigue, as sauces are usually meant to flow, but it turns out it’s essentially buttercream frosting with a bit of brandy. I guess it would be hard if stored in the fridge. Was I expecting something more exciting? Yes. But I got over my disappointment once I tasted it.
How to make brandy butter
Just like with American-style buttercream, you only need a few ingredients: butter, sugar, and flavoring. I decided to use Mary Berry’s recipe for brandy butter because she’s my other favorite English chef (along with Nigella, whose Christmas pudding recipe I used as a guide), and she might be the only Dame I’d trust to feed me.
I took a single liberty with her recipe. Mary Berry uses unsalted butter, but seeing as this is a condiment meant to be spread on cake, I think we’d be selling ourselves short without some salt. Salted butter is clutch for an excellent frosting, and if you don’t have it then add a quarter teaspoon of salt to this mixture.
If you're mixing by hand, use soft butter to achieve a consistency like mayonnaise. Combine the sugars with a rubber spatula. Berry's recipe calls for light muscovado sugar, but if you can’t find it, light or dark brown sugar works just as well. Add the brandy and whisk until emulsified. If the mixture breaks or appears grainy, it may be too cold or have too much brandy. To fix it, microwave it for a few seconds, keeping an eye on it as you whisk. If the brandy’s too much, add another tablespoon of powdered sugar and whisk thoroughly.
The result is a sweet and buttery flavor with hints of caramel from the brandy. It’s perfect for spreading on a warm slice of fruit cake. Although the liquor is noticeable, it’s quite subtle considering the amount used. If you plan on flambéing within a week, keep the brandy butter at room temperature for easier spreading. Otherwise, store it in the fridge, and allow it to warm up to room temperature before use. Brandy butter is a great companion for Christmas pudding, but it can also be enjoyed on muffins, toast, or any baked good in need of a boozy, sweet touch.
Next week will be the grand finale of this series, where I’ll re-steam, flambé, and dive into a slice of figgy pudding. Stay tuned for Li'l Pud’s big moment next week.
Brandy Butter Recipe
(Adapted from Mary Berry’s recipe)
Ingredients:
1 stick of softened salted butter
⅔ cup (3 ounces) powdered sugar
⅓ cup packed (3 ounces) brown sugar
3 tablespoons brandy
In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the butter and both sugars until the mixture is smooth and slightly fluffy. Once the sugars are incorporated, add the brandy and stir it in. When the brandy is mostly mixed, switch to a whisk to fully emulsify the frosting.
