The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (29 page)

After the funeral of the Earl of Grantham’s original heir, Mrs. Patmore remarks to Daisy, “Nothing makes you hungrier than grief.” While Daisy might doubt it, this sweet apple tart would lift anyone’s spirits, even sour Lady Mary’s.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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cup sugar

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cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

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cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon apple brandy

1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract

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teaspoon almond extract

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cup granulated white sugar

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cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 large, tart apples, peeled and cut into
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-inch slices

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cup sliced almonds

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cup apricot jelly

Vanilla ice cream for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Make sure rack is in the middle of the oven. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
   
2. For crust:
   In a large bowl, thoroughly blend together flour, salt, and sugar. Knead in butter until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Pat the dough onto the bottom of the springform pan and up an inch on the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
   
3. Beat cream cheese until it reaches a smooth consistency, then add sugar and mix thoroughly. Mix in the egg, apple brandy, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Fill chilled crust with filling, then return to refrigerator.
   
4. For topping:
   In a large bowl, blend together white and brown sugars, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Toss the sliced apples into the mixture and coat slices. Spoon the apple mixture over the cream-cheese filling, then sprinkle with almonds. Place the springform pan on a medium-sized baking sheet to catch drips.
   
5. Place apple pastry in preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the crust is brown, the filling is close to being set, and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. A short time before serving tart, warm apricot jelly, adding water if necessary for jelly to reach a liquid consistency. Brush apricot jelly onto the tart for a glistening shine, and serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
   

Just as there was a strict ritual for dining etiquette, there was also a set of rules that all Edwardians had to follow to properly express their grief in the event of a death. After someone in the family had died, it was expected that the family should send a death notice to all friends and relatives on nice paper bordered in black. Other than perhaps visiting some close relatives, the family would not be seen in public so as to properly respect their grief. In fact, the family would not organize the funeral themselves; a trusted male friend would organize it instead.

This pudding didn’t become a traditional Christmas dish until the Victorian era, when Prince Albert introduced it. The only difference between this traditional Christmas pudding and a Christmas cake is that this pudding contains a suet and is steamed rather than baked. During the
Downton Abbey
Christmas Special, note how much the upper crust enjoyed this treat, especially when it is flamed (another tradition, meant to represent the passion of Christ).

1 pound dried mixed fruit (golden raisins, regular raisins, and currants)

1 ounce mixed candied peel, finely chopped

1 small apple, peeled and finely chopped

1 large orange, juiced and peel used for zest

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lemon, juiced and peel used for zest

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cup brandy, plus extra for topping

2 ounces self-rising flour, sifted

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 ounces shredded suet

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cup dark brown sugar

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cup fresh bread crumbs

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cup ground almonds

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cup chopped walnuts

2 large eggs

1. Lightly grease a 1.4-liter (1
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   -quart) pudding pan. Place the dried fruits, candied peel, apple, orange zest, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and marinate overnight.
   
2. In another large mixing bowl, stir together the self-rising flour, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Add the suet, brown sugar, bread crumbs, almonds, and walnuts one ingredient at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the marinated dried fruits and stir well.
   
3. In a small bowl, beat together the large eggs. Then stir into the dry ingredients. The mixture by now should have a fairly soft consistency.
   
4. Now each member of your family should drop in coins and take a turn stirring the pudding. (See following “Times Gone By” .)
   
5. Using a wooden spoon, spoon the pudding into the pudding pan, pressing the mixture down with the back of the spoon. Cover with two layers of parchment paper, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Tie with a string.
   
6. Place the pudding in a steamer over simmering water and steam the pudding for at least 7 hours. Make sure you check the water frequently so that it doesn’t boil dry. The pudding should become a dark brown. This is a recipe for a dark, sticky, and dense pudding.
   
7. Remove the pudding from the steamer and let it cool completely. This may take a while. Remove aluminum foil and parchment paper, then prick the pudding with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover with another set of parchment paper and tie again with string. Store until Christmas, then reheat. Note: The pudding should not be served immediately after baking. It needs to be stored to rest for at least 48 hours. Eating the pudding immediately will not only cause it to collapse but will stop the flavors from officially ripening.
   

Another tradition is to make this cake on the Sunday before Advent, also known as “Stir Up Sunday.” Each member of the family is expected to take a turn stirring the pudding mixture and adding good-luck coins to the batter to be found on Christmas Day.

Plum pudding is a well-regarded Christmas tradition, one that both the downstairs and upstairs inhabitants of Downton Abbey would enjoy during the holiday season. Granted, the aristocrats upstairs would get to enjoy theirs first.

2 cups assorted raisins

3 cups brandy

1 cup assorted candied fruits

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

2 cups day-old bread crumbs

1 cup blanched almond meal

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cup dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon orange zest

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

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teaspoon fresh nutmeg

1 large egg

2 teaspoons molasses

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cup Guinness stout

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cup orange juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Soak raisins in brandy for at least 1 hour. Drain, reserving
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   cup brandy. Preheat oven to 450°F.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix together raisins, candied fruit, butter, bread crumbs, almond meal, brown sugar, flour, lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
   
3. In a separate bowl, mix together egg and molasses, then add reserved brandy, beer, orange juice, and lemon juice. Add combination to fruit mixture and mix until thoroughly moist. Split batter between two greased 3-inch-deep bowls, then cover with two sheets of waxed paper, then foil. Secure with twine, then put bowls on a rack in a deep pot. Add enough boiling water to pot to reach 2 inches up the sides of bowls. Cover pot and steam puddings in oven, replenishing water as necessary, for 4 hours.
   
4. Remove bowls from pot and let cool. Store puddings in a cool, dry spot for at least 1 week and for as long as 2 years. If storing for longer than 1 day, replace covers. Reheat puddings by steaming them, still covered, for 1 hour. Unmold onto plates.