13 Dec Christmas pudding

This is a lovely light but tasty fruit pudding. Serve with coconut yoghurt or custard or cream. It can be made dairy and wheat and egg free.  It isn’t as rich as a traditional pudding but has lots of lovely Christmassy flavours. Make a week at least before it is to be eaten to let flavours develop. The brandy makes it delicious and helps to preserve the pudding. If you don’t want to use brandy use an extra 30ml orange juice, but it wont keep as well so eat within 2 or 3 days. I made 2 small puddings.

75g raisins
75g sultanas or chopped figs
75g currants
75g dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
50g light brown sugar
100g grounds almonds
100g white spelt flour or GF flour
50g breadcrumbs or GF breadcrumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1

1/2 small granny smith apple,  finely chopped or grated, leave peel on
2 large eggs, beaten or 2 tbsp chia seeds in soaked for 15 minutes 100ml warm water
50g butter or coconut oil
30g brandy

Butter or oil 2 x 0.6 ltr oven proof bowls or one 1.2 ltr bowl. You can use the plastic bowls with lids or make your own lid from greaseproof paper (see below).
Place the dried fruit in a shallow dish so it is in a single layer and pour over the orange juice and zest and lemon juice and zest and brandy. Stir well and cover and leave to soak overnight.
Next day place the flour and ground almonds, breadcrumbs and sugar in your food processor and add the butter or oil. Process till it looks like breadcrumbs and place in a large bowl. Stir in the spices and baking powder,  then the apple and soaked dried fruits and any juice/brandy left in the dish. Stir in the eggs or chia mix and mix well. It will be a stiffish consistency.
Divide between the 2 bowls if using or spoon into one larger bowl.
If not using plastic bowls with lids make a lid by taking a large piece of greaseproof paper, fold in half and make a pleat in the middle to allow for expansion and tie on over the pudding with string. Bring the string across to secure and make a handle to remove after steaming (see pic)

Place in a saucepan with about 2 inches water at the bottom and bring to the boil with the lid on. Turn down to a very low simmer and cook for 2 hours for small puddings or 4 hours for the larger one. Check occasionally that the water hasn’t evaporated. Top up as necessary but don’t let the water touch the paper.  If using the plastic bowls you just have to keep an eye on the water level.
Allow to cool completely, leave the paper on and leave in the bowl, wrap the whole thing in clingfilm and store for a week or two before eating. To heat re do the whole steaming thing for 40 minutes or it can be heated in the oven on a low heat for 30 minutes. I don’t like to use a microwave but of course that is an option.
Serve with coconut yoghurt, cream or custard. Sprinkle with clementine dust (see recipe in desserts)