CHRISTMAS PUDDING (DARK)

MAKES ONE PUDDING- FOR A TWO PINT PUDDING BASIN

85g raisins

55g currants

100g sultanas

40g chopped mixed peel

110g mixed dried apricots and figs, chopped

145ml brown ale

1 tablespoon rum

grated zest and juice of half an orange

grated zest and juice of half a lemon

55g prunes, stoned and soaked overnight in cold tea, then drained and chopped

½ dessert apple

110g butter, softened

170g soft dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon of treacle

1.5 eggs

55g self raising flour, sifted

½ teaspoon ground mixed spice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

a small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

a small pinch of ground ginger

a small pinch of salt

110g fresh breadcrumbs

30g chopped hazelnuts toasted

 

1. Soak all the dried fruit except the prunes overnight in the beer, rum, orange juice and lemon juice. Mix with the prunes.
2. Beat the butter with the sugar until light. Add the orange and lemon zest and treacle.
3. Whisk the eggs together and gradually add them to the mixture, beating well after each addition.
4. Fold in the flour, spices, salt and breadcrumbs and stir in the nuts, dried fruit, grated apple and soaking liquor.
5. Place the mixture in the greased pudding basin and cover with 2 layers of pleated greaseproof paper and one piece of pleated kitchen foil. Tie with string.
6. When ready to cook steam for 10-12 hours. Put a large saucepan on to boil, and lower the pudding into it; the water must be boiling, and it should come halfway up or a little further up the basin. Cover and leave to steam for 10-12 hours. When the water level gets low replenish with boiling water.

 

APPROX 20 MINS

 

HOW TO PREPARE A PUDDING BASIN

1. Grease the insides of the pudding basin with a thick layer of softened butter. Cut a double layer of greaseproof paper to cover the pudding and fold it so that it has a pleat in the middle.
2. Cut a piece of foil to cover the basin, leaving about 5cm in excess round the edge.
3. Cut a piece of string 4 x the circumference of the pudding basin.
4. Fill the pudding basin, leaving about 2.5cm in space below the rim of the basin to allow the pudding mixture to expand.
5. Cover with buttered greasproof paper and foil. Tie with the string, making a loop over the top for a handle
6. Using kitchen scissors, trim the greasproof paper just below the string.
7. When ready to cook: Use the string handle to lower the pudding into the water.

Note: To reheat the pudding steam for 2-2½ hours.

This recipe uses an indirect method of steaming. Cooking the pudding in a closed container gives the food a soft, open texture because the steam produced when the water in the food vaporizes is trapped in the container.

HINTS AND TIPS

Use the handle end of a ladle to lower and lift the pudding in and out of the water.

You can substitute different dried fruits and nut for the ones used in this recipe. For a smoky flavor soak the prunes in a strong brew of Lapsang souchon.

ADDITIONALS

1. Leftovers:

• sliced and pan fried in butter
• sliced and grilled/toasted (like malt loaf)
• blitz with your favourite ice cream and refreeze

1. Top tips:

• Flaming…. i.e. the old ladle trick
• Different alcohols for flaming
• Different alcohols/alternatives to alcohol when making pudding (cider, sherry, port, mulled wine, marsala etc… or non-alc: apple juice, other fruit juices, fruit tea )
• Different shapes/sizes… (i.e. like the ES log, mini puds, tray bake)