Light Fruity Christmas Pud Recipes

MY NAN'S CHRISTMAS PUD WITH VIN SANTO

Steps:

• Grease a 1.5 litre pudding bowl.
• Destone and chop the dates, and roughly chop the ginger, then place in a large bowl.
• Finely grate in the orange zest, then mix all the remaining ingredients together, except for the golden syrup.
• Transfer the mixture to the greased bowl and cover with a double layer of tin foil. Tie a piece of string around the side of the bowl.
• Place the bowl in a large saucepan, and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl.
• Bring to the boil, place a tight-fitting lid on the pan, and simmer for 3 hours - don't forget to check the water regularly, making sure that it never boils dry, because if it does, it will burn and the bowl will crack.
• When the time's up, remove the foil, turn out on to a plate, drizzle with golden syrup and decorate it as you like. You can also light it with brandy if you want to be really fancy.

LIGHT & FRUITY CHRISTMAS PUD

Steps:

• Put the dried fruits, dates, cranberries and ginger in a pan with the orange zest and juice, and the orange liqueur, then warm gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the juices are absorbed and the mixture looks sticky. Set aside to cool.
• Lightly grease a 1.3 litre/21⁄4 pint pudding basin, and line the base with a small disc of greaseproof paper. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and flour together in a food mixer or large bowl until creamy, then stir in the cooled fruits, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and nuts.
• Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin, cover the bowl with greaseproof paper and foil, and tie on securely with string. Put a long strip of folded foil under the basin and bring it up round the sides so that you can use it as a handle to lift the pudding in and out. Put the basin in a large pan and pour a kettle of boiling water into the pan so it comes halfway up the bowl, then cover and steam for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water every now and then. Leave it to cool, then store in a cool place for up to 1 week or freeze for 1 month.
• The sauce can be made up to a day ahead. Melt the butter and sugar together in a frying pan. Tip in the pecans and cook, stirring, for a minute or two to toast them. Add the cranberries, orange juice and liqueur and continue to bubble until rich and syrupy. Cool, then tip into a bowl, cover and chill until ready to eat.
• To serve: Steam the pudding in a pan of boiling water for 1 hour, to warm it through.
• Put the pecan sauce in a pan, and gently warm through until melted and bubbling. Meanwhile, turn out the pudding. Peel the lining paper from the pudding and pile the nuts and cranberries from the sauce on top, and then generously spoon over the buttery sauce. Decorate with holly and dust lightly with icing sugar. Serve the pudding with the sauce and cream.

LIGHT CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a 1.2litre pudding basin with butter.
• Place the cherries in the bottom.
• Beat the sugar and butter with a hand held beater until pale and creamy.
• Beat in the eggs seperately, whisking well in between.
• Fold in the sifted flour, spice and salt carefully.
• Then add the lemon juice, lemon and orange zest, apple and fruit mince.
• Spoon into the basin.
• Tie a double piece of pleated baking paper on to the basin.
• Place in boiling water and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
• When the pudding is completely cold, turn it out, wrap it well and freeze until needed.
• Take out of freezer Christmas Eve.
• Can either re-steam it for an hour or just slice it and heat in the microwave.
• I used mixed red, green and yellow cherries.

LIGHT & FRUITY CHRISTMAS PUD

Steps:

• Put the dried fruits, dates, cranberries and ginger in a pan with the orange zest and juice, and the orange liqueur, then warm gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the juices are absorbed and the mixture looks sticky. Set aside to cool.
• Lightly grease a 1.3 litre/21⁄4 pint pudding basin, and line the base with a small disc of greaseproof paper. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and flour together in a food mixer or large bowl until creamy, then stir in the cooled fruits, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and nuts.
• Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin, cover the bowl with greaseproof paper and foil, and tie on securely with string. Put a long strip of folded foil under the basin and bring it up round the sides so that you can use it as a handle to lift the pudding in and out. Put the basin in a large pan and pour a kettle of boiling water into the pan so it comes halfway up the bowl, then cover and steam for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water every now and then. Leave it to cool, then store in a cool place for up to 1 week or freeze for 1 month.
• The sauce can be made up to a day ahead. Melt the butter and sugar together in a frying pan. Tip in the pecans and cook, stirring, for a minute or two to toast them. Add the cranberries, orange juice and liqueur and continue to bubble until rich and syrupy. Cool, then tip into a bowl, cover and chill until ready to eat.
• To serve: Steam the pudding in a pan of boiling water for 1 hour, to warm it through.
• Put the pecan sauce in a pan, and gently warm through until melted and bubbling. Meanwhile, turn out the pudding. Peel the lining paper from the pudding and pile the nuts and cranberries from the sauce on top, and then generously spoon over the buttery sauce. Decorate with holly and dust lightly with icing sugar. Serve the pudding with the sauce and cream.