Category: Christmas

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DublinTown Christmas Lights Switch On At Bewley’s Grafton Street 🤶 🎅

DublinTown Christmas Lights Switch On At Bewley’s Grafton Street

It’s beginning to look a lot like the festive season following the big switch on of the stunning Grafton Street Christmas lights at Bewley’s Grafton Street on Thursday November 16th.

Erected by city centre business group Dublin Town, they were turned on by Little Blue Heroes Foundation representatives Willow Mae Carroll, seven, from Kells, Co Meath, and Cian Byrne, 10, from Finglas West, Dublin, who pushed the magic button.

The Foundation is a Garda charity supporting families of children with serious illnesses, while empowering the lives of young people through positive community engagement.

With only 34 days remaining to December 25, the switching on of the spectacular Grafton Street chandeliers, precedes the turning on of lights at Henry Street, South William Street, Capel Street and throughout the city centre.

In total, Dublin Town, which has been decorating the city centre at Christmas on behalf of businesses for 15 years, will provide energy-efficient Christmas lights across 25 streets in the city centre this year.

It takes 30 people, working through the night over four weeks, to erect the lights. All lighting used is low-energy LED, regulated by time clocks. The Grafton Street display uses one third of the electricity of a domestic shower. Every single bulb and fixture is tested by Dublin Town’s lighting contractor in advance of going up.

Bewley’s Grafton Street is delighted to partner with DublinTown as the venue for the Christmas Lights switch on and hope everyone gets to enjoy the sparkle over the upcoming festive season.

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Auntie Maureen’s Plum Pudding by Neven Maguire @macneanhouse

Makes 2x 1.2 litre (2 pint) puddings

Nothing beats the flavour of homemade Christmas pudding, but it’s important to get good-quality fruit and it’s best made at least 1 month in advance.

I love plum pudding, hot or cold, with lashings of cream, but the spiked almond custard is even more special. I always look forward to it. A big thank you to Auntie Maureen for this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 50g (2oz) plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 225g (8oz) sultanas
  • 175g (6oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
  • 175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 175g (6oz) light brown sugar
  • 175g (6oz) raisins
  • 50g (2oz) currants
  • 50g (2oz) candied mixed peel
  • 50g (2oz) blanched almonds, hopped
  • 1/2 eating apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1/2 small carrot, grated finely grated rind and juice of
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 300ml (1/2 pint) stout
  • fresh redcurrant sprigs, to decorate (optional)
  • icing sugar, to decorate (optional)
  • spiked almond custard, to serve

Method

  1. Sift together the flour, mixed spice, cloves and nutmeg. Add the sultanas, melted butter, breadcrumbs, sugar, raisins, currants, mixed peel, almonds, apple, carrot and the lemon rind and juice and mix until well combined. Gradually add the beaten eggs, stirring constantly, followed by the stout. Mix everything together thoroughly and cover with a clean tea towel, then leave in a cool place overnight.
  2. Use the fruit mixture to fill 2 x 1.2 litre (2 pint) greased pudding bowls. Cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper and tin foil, then tie tightly under the rim with string. Store in a cool, dry place overnight.
  3. To cook, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2).
  4. Stand each pudding basin in a large cake tin three-quarters full of boiling water, then cook in the oven for 6–8 hours (or you can steam them for 6 hours in the usual way). Cool and re-cover with clean greaseproof paper. Again, store in a cool, dry place.
  5. On Christmas Day, re-cover with greaseproof paper and foil. Steam for 2–3 hours, until completely cooked through and tender. Decorate with the redcurrant sprigs and a light dusting of icing sugar, if liked.
  6. To serve, cut the plum pudding into slices and arrange on serving plates. Have a separate jug of the spiked almond custard so that everyone can help themselves.
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Odlums Christmas Plum Pudding (Light Recipe)

Christmas Plum Pudding (Light Recipe)

CategoryChristmas

Cook Time5 hours

What you need:

  • 75g/3oz Odlums Self Raising Flour
  • 175g/6oz Shamrock Light Brown Sugar
  • 175g/6oz Margarine
  • 3 Eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 1 teaspoon Mixed Spice
  • 500g packet Shamrock Luxury Fruit Mix
  • 1 Apple (grated)
  • 100g packet Shamrock Ground Almonds
  • 175g/6oz Breadcrumbs
  • 1 bottle Stout (1/2 pint)

How to:

  1. Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the lightly beaten eggs and mix well.
  3. Stir in the sieved flour and mixed spice.
  4. Next add the fruit mix, grated apple and ground almonds. Mix well.
  5. Finally, add the breadcrumbs and bottle of stout.
  6. Stir well, cover and leave to stand overnight. Transfer to a 3 pint greased pudding bowl. Steam for 5 hours.

To steam pudding in oven:

  1. Put two long strips of tin foil crosswise on work top or table. Place roasting tin on foil. Sit pudding bowl into the tin and fill with boiling water to within 1″ of top of tin. Then bring tin foil around to form a parcel, which should be airtight to prevent any steam escaping.
  2. Place in preheated oven at 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 for the same length of time as above. There is no need to top up with water during cooking.

Recipe Notes:

The quantities may be doubled if more than one pudding is required.

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