Clean Food Squad - Homecooking with clean ingredients: Christmas Pudding

Uploaded at December 13, 2023

Homecooking with clean ingredients: Christmas Pudding

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Celebrate Christmas the clean way! Our special Christmas Pudding is all about embracing the festive spirit without the unwanted additives. We've meticulously selected natural, wholesome ingredients to ensure your holiday treat is not just delicious, but also nourishing.

This pudding is a testament to how traditional festive flavors can be enjoyed in a healthier, cleaner manner. Let's make this Christmas memorable with clean eating that doesn't compromise on taste!

Ingredients:

1 cup (250ml) brandy or rum
1/2 cup (125g) butter, softened
1 cup (200g) brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice (a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups mixed dried fruit (such as raisins, currants, sultanas, and chopped dates)
1 cup (120g) breadcrumbs
1/2 cup (125ml) stout or dark ale
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (60g) chopped almonds

Instructions:

Pre-soak the Fruit: The night before, combine the dried fruit and brandy or rum in a bowl. Cover and let it soak overnight.
Prepare the Pudding Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, mixed spice, and baking soda. Gradually fold these into the creamed mixture.
Add Fruits and Nuts: Stir in the soaked fruit (with any leftover liquid), breadcrumbs, stout or ale, orange and lemon zest, and chopped almonds. Mix well to combine.
Prepare the Pudding Basin: Grease a 2-liter pudding basin and line the bottom with a circle of baking paper. Fill the basin with the pudding mixture.
Cover the Pudding: Place a circle of baking paper directly on top of the pudding mixture. Cover the basin with a larger circle of greaseproof paper and aluminum foil, and tie it securely with string.
Steam the Pudding: Place the basin in a large pot with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pot and steam for about 6 hours, making sure to top up with boiling water as needed.
Cool and Store: Once cooked, remove the pudding from the pot and let it cool. Store in a cool, dark place. Traditionally, the pudding can be made up to a year in advance and fed periodically with more brandy.
To Serve: On Christmas Day, steam the pudding again for about 2 hours. Serve hot with brandy butter, custard, or cream.

Tips:

Feeding the Pudding: If you're making the pudding well in advance, you can "feed" it with a little extra brandy every few weeks.
Flaming the Pudding: For a dramatic presentation, warm some brandy in a small pan, light it carefully, and pour it over the pudding just before serving.