Here is an alternate Christmas pudding that can be prepared on they day. It’s citrusy and syrupy and can be steamed or cooked in a microwave.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 90 minutes steaming/15 minutes microwave/Serves: 8
Ingredients:
3 tbsp golden syrup
2 clementines or satsumas, thinly sliced
175g butter
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
85g self-raising flour
85g fresh white breadcrumbs
grating fresh nutmeg (about ¼ tsp)
2 tbsp marsala wine (or substitute Port or Commandaria st John or similar fortified wine [you can even use ginger wine])
zest 1 large orange
200g mixed dried fruit
handful glacé cherries, halved
For the syrupy sauce:
5 tbsp golden syrup
zest 1 orange, juice ½
3 tbsp madeira
Method:
Butter the inside of a 1.2-litre pudding basin. If you’re steaming the pudding on the hob, boil the kettle and have a large saucepan with a lid and a heatproof saucer ready. Cut a sheet of foil and greaseproof paper, both about 30cm long, and butter the greaseproof.
Spoon 3 tbsp syrup into the bottom of the basin. Lay 5 slices of clementine or satsuma in the bottom, overlapping like petals. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, then add eggs gradually, beating all the while, until light and fluffy. Add a spoonful of flour if the mix starts to split. Tip in the breadcrumbs and the rest of the flour, fold until combined, then add all remaining ingredients and fold again. Spoon mix on top of the fruit slices. Add remaining slices of clementine or satsuma against the side of the bowl as you go.
To cook on the hob, cover with greaseproof and foil and steam for 1½ hrs (see Know-how, below). To microwave, loosely cover with cling film, pierce once, then cook on Medium for 12 mins. To check it’s done, poke a skewer into the pudding; it should come out clean.
Make the syrup by heating the ingredients in a small pan. When the pudding is ready, turn out and serve drenched with syrup, or leave to cool and chill for up to 3 days. To reheat, re-cover with foil and greaseproof and steam for 30 mins, or cover with cling film and microwave on Medium for 5 mins until hot. Reheat sauce in the microwave or in a pan.
