Monday, 5 December 2011

Christmas Pudding...with a twist


If you haven't made your Christmas pudding yet, get started, there is just enough time.

This year we've been experimenting and have come up with this delicious recipe. We've added a twist of ginger and steeped the fruit in Pedro Ximenez, all thick and syrupy and just like Christmas pudding in a bottle.

Ingredients:
200g Raisins
200g Sultanas
200g Currants
50g Stem Ginger, chopped up into small pieces
100g Stone Prunes, chopped
60g Mixed Peel
1 cup Pedro Ximinez
250g Unsalted Butter
Grated rind of 1 x lemon and 1 x orange
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
100 g Finely Chopped Almonds
250g Plain Flour
2 Cups Fresh Breadcrumbs

Method:

Place dried fruit (rainins, currants, sultanas, peel, prunes and stem ginger) in a bowl and add the Pedro Ximenez. Leave overnight.

The following day cream the butter with the sugar and grated rind until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each. Stir in fruit, chopped almonds, spice and salt, Sift in flour and bicoarbonate of soda. Finally add breadcrumbs. Form into a bowl and place in a pudding bowl. Add circle of greaseproof paper or parchment to top, then wrap in muslin or unbleached calico and secure tightly with string.

Steam over a pan of boiling water for six hours. Add more water if necessary. Remove and allow to cool competely. Replace cloth with a new one. Leave in a cool dry place.

On Christmas Day, place pudding in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 - 2 1/2 hours before serving with a dollop of Brandy Butter.

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