Now is the time to make steamed Christmas pudding so it can be stored until Christmas. I’ve adapted my husband’s mother’s basic recipe slightly so it can be made with ingredients commonly available in South African shops. Quinces are available in the autumn, which in SA is June/July so I buy them when available, grate them and store the gratings in the freezer. If you can’t get quince, a tart apple can be substituted. I also add grated carrot here, which increases both the fiber and the sweetness, without having to add too much sugar. You can substitute currants for the sultanas (but they haven’t been available in my corner of SA for a few years). I haven’t seen suet in my corner of South Africa for a while, but I can get the fat surrounding lamb’s kidneys readily so I grated that (but you can substitute meat or vegetarian suet). If you’re in the US, substitute pumpkin pie spice for the mixed spice (this British staple is available in SA though). Craisins (dried, sweetened, cranberries) have been available recently and I’ve added these as I prefer them to glace cherries. SA is now one of the largest producers of macadamia nuts, so I’ve used these in the recipe, but you can easily substitute your favorite nut.
Over-night prep/150 min cook/Makes 2 puddings, serves 8 each
Ingredients:
350g (2 ¼ cups) sultanas
350g (2 ¼ cups) raisins
150g (1 cup) dried figs, chopped
125g (1 2/3 cups) candied peel
100g (1/2 cup) dried apricots
75g (1/2 cup) craisins
75g (3/8 cup) dates, pitted and chopped
50g (2/5 cup) macadamia nuts, finely chopped
150ml (3/5 cup) brandy
100g (1 cup) preserved ginger in syrup, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup
1 quince, grated
1 large carrot, grated
1 oranges, juice and finely-grated zest
1 lime, juice and finely-grated zest
1 lemon, juice and finely-grated zest
6 eggs, beaten
250g fat surrounding lamb kidneys, grated (or use shredded suet)
300g (1 ½ cups, packed) soft muscovado sugar
250g (2 ½ cups) fresh breadcrumbs
175g (1 ½ cups) self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
Method:
For this recipe you will need two 1.5 litre (6 cup) plastic pudding basins with lids.
Soak the sultanas, raisins, currants, figs, peel, apricots and craisins in the brandy overnight, giving it a good stir now and again.
The following day, in a large bowl mix the ginger, syrup, quince, carrot, nuts, citrus juices and zests with the eggs, suet, sugar, breadcrumbs and flour.
Stir in the soaked fruit and mixed spice.
Grease the two pudding basins and divide the mix between them. Cut two circles of greaseproof (waxed) paper to cover the top of the pudding and fold a pleat down the center to allow pudding to expand.
Secure the lids on the basins and steam the puddings for 3½ hours.
Remove the puddings from the steamer and allow to cool completely before removing the greaseproof paper and covering tightly with cling film and a lid. The puddings can now be stored in a cool, dry place until Christmas.
To reheat, steam the pudding for a further 3½ hours, turn out and flame with brandy.
