Lighter Christmas Pudding Recipes

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a 1.5 litre pudding bowl with butter.
• Destone your dates, then, by hand or in a food processor, finely chop the flesh with the apricots, pecans, ginger and rosemary leaves. Place it all in a mixing bowl with the cranberries, raisins, suet, flour, breadcrumbs and milk. Crack in the egg, finely grate in the clementine zest, squeeze in the juice and mix it all together really well.
• Tip the mixture into the greased bowl and cover with a single layer of greaseproof paper and a double layer of tin foil. Tie a piece of string around the bowl to secure them in place and make it watertight, then sit it in a large, deep saucepan and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl.
• Bring the water to the boil, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce to a simmer for 4 hours. Check the water regularly, and keep topping it up with boiling water, if needed.
• When the time's up, lift out the bowl, remove the foil and paper, then carefully turn the pudding out on to a plate ready to serve, or leave to cool and reheat just before you need it.
• You can either drizzle it with golden syrup and a swig of Bourbon - gorgeous - or be a bit more flamboyant and gently heat a good few swigs of Bourbon just to warm it, then strike a match to the pan (stand back!), let it flame, and carefully pour it over your pudding.
• Present it to your guests and sing some Christmassy songs, then when the flame subsides drizzle with golden syrup. Serve with cream, custard or even ice cream.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• The day before you want to steam the pudding: In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the suet, brown sugar, sifted flour, breadcrumbs, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gradually mix in the currants, sultanas, raisins, candied peel, and almonds, followed by the apple and citrus zests. In a small bowl, whisk together the rum, barley wine, and stout, and then beat in the eggs. Pour this mixture over the dried fruit and nut mixture. Mix thoroughly. It should be somewhat loose; if it needs a little more liquid, add some stout. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• The following day: Butter a 1-pint pudding mold and pack the pudding mixture into it. Cover with a double piece of parchment and a sheet of foil and tie securely with a string across the top to make a handle. Place the pudding mold in a covered steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water, and steam for 8 hours. Check the water level, adding boiling water as needed. When the pudding is finished, let it cool and then remove the papers and foil. Replace with fresh paper and make a new string for easier maneuvering. Set in a cool place away from light (under the bed works well).
• To reheat, set a saucepan with boiling water over medium heat and put a steamer on top. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, set the pudding in the steamer, cover, and let steam for 2 1/4 hours. Top up the water a bit if necessary.
• To serve, remove the pudding from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a palette knife around the pudding, and then turn it out onto a warm plate. Garnish with a sprig of holly. To flambe the pudding, warm a ladleful of brandy over direct heat, and when it is hot, carefully light the brandy. Place the flaming ladle over the pudding, but do not pour until at the table. When you do slowly pour it over the pudding, sides and all, watch it flame! Serve with rum sauce if desired.
• This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

LIGHTER CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Tip the sultanas, apricots, raisins and mixed peel in a bowl, and pour over the rum. Stir, cover and soak for at least 3 hrs or overnight.
• Butter a 1-litre pudding basin and line the base with a small circle of baking parchment. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl using an electric whisk, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the flour, breadcrumbs and spices. Fold in the rehydrated fruits and peel, their soaking liquid and the apple. Spoon into the prepared basin, pressing it down firmly with the back of the spoon. Cover with a sheet of baking parchment, then a sheet of foil, and secure with kitchen string.
• Put an upturned plate in the base of a large pan and sit the pudding on top, then fill the pan with water until it comes halfway up the side of the basin. Alternatively, put the pudding in the top of a lidded steamer and cover. Steam for 2 hrs 30 mins, ensuring the water doesn't run dry. Remove the pudding from the pan and leave to cool completely.
• Uncover the cooled pudding and wrap in a clean sheet of foil. Will keep in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks, or the freezer for up to three months. See tip, below, for reheating it on the day.

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.

SUET-FREE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the raisins and sultanas in a large bowl. Finely chop the prunes, dried apricots and dried apple, then add to the bowl with the orange zest and grated apple.
• Add the rest of the dry ingredients and spices, then mix. In a separate bowl, beat the marmalade, oil, apple juice, honey, eggs, brandy and sherry until blended and frothy (you could use a food processor), then pour it over the dry ingredients.
• Mix well with a wooden spoon, then cover and leave it overnight in a cool place (but not the fridge) to allow the spices to infuse and the flavours to develop.
• Grease a 2 litre round pudding mould (see tip) and fill it with the pudding mix. It wonäó»t expand much during cooking so donäó»t worry about filling the mould almost completely. Seal the pudding mould and secure it on its stand.
• Place in a large lidded saucepan and pour boiling water into the pan to come almost halfway up the mould. Cover and simmer for 5-6 hours, topping up the water regularly. Allow to cool, then remove from the mould and wrap in muslin and foil.
• To reheat the pudding on the day, return it to the mould or steam in its muslin for 2 hours until piping hot throughout. Place on a serving plate. To flame the pudding, heat a ladleful of brandy, then light with a match and carefully pour it over the pudding. Serve with the Calvados cream.

EASY MICROWAVE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Take the frozen butter and grate it into a large bowl (this seems like a total faff, but it helps distribute the butter evenly without having more liquid in the bowl by using melted butter). Peel, core and chop your apple into cubes, then add it to the bowl.
• Put the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix well with a large wooden spoon.
• Grease your pudding bowl (I use a 1-litre pudding bowl) and put a circle of greaseproof paper in the bottom. Pour the pudding mixture into the bowl and cover with cling film. Poke a few holes in the top to let the steam out.
• Put it in the microwave and cook on a medium to medium-high setting (should be about 500wt) and cook it for 20 minutes. Once the time is up, check it is cooked by sticking a skewer in - if it comes out clean, you're done. If it comes out sticky, cook for a further 5 minutes. Repeat the process until your pudding is cooked.
• Severing straight away: Leave the pudding in the bowl for about five minutes (covered) and then turn out onto a plate and serve with brandy or butter and by dusting with icing sugar and adding decorations like cranberries or holly on top.
• Making ahead: Let the bowl cool completely with the lid off. Once cold, cover and keep in the fridge until required. When you're ready to serve it, microwave for 4 minutes and then allow it to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

LIGHT CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Steps:

• Prepare the basin by buttering it lightly and arranging the candied peel in the base. First snip the citron peel into ½ inch (1 cm) strips and arrange these in an overlapping circle in the centre of the base of the basin; you need something that resembles a flower. Then, using a sharp pair of scissors, snip the whole candied peels lengthways into strips, but leaving the end intact. Imagine five fingers attached to a hand and you've got it. Now arrange these around the 'flower', spreading out the strips as much as possible. Now, for the pudding, simply beat the sugar and butter with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy and drops off a spoon easily with a sharp tap. Then beat the eggs in a jug and add these a minute amount at a time, whisking well after each addition. When all the liquid egg is incorporated carefully fold in the sifted flour, mace and salt, followed by the lemon juice, grated lemon and orange zest, chopped apple and finally the mincemeat. Now spoon the mixture into the basin, being careful to leave your artistic arrangement intact. Tie a double piece of pleated foil on to the basin, place it in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 2½ hours. When the pudding is completely cold you can turn it out, wrap it well and freeze it till needed. Take it out of the freezer late on Christmas Eve and re-steam on Christmas Day for 1½ hours. Serve cut in slices with Hot Punch Sauce (see below).