Recipe for cooking Christmas Plum Pudding with Brandied Cider Sauce

Desserts to Go with Coffee and Tea :: souffles and puddings

Christmas Plum Pudding with Brandied Cider Sauce

Posted by GramCracker4Me at recipegoldmine.com 12/20/2001 4:39 pm

Source: christmas-joy.com

Although often confused with fruitcake, this classic Christmas dessert tastes more like a rich, dense spice cake. This version uses butter instead of the traditional suet and can be made with your choice of candied fruit, currants, or raisins.

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. butter or butter replacement (at room temperature)
4 lrg. egg whites
1/2 c. apple cider or apple juice
3/4 c. raisins
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1/3 c. candied cherries, halved, or currants or raisins
1/3 c. chopped candied pineapple, currants, or raisins
1/3 c. pecan halves
Brandied Cider Sauce (see recipe below)

Step 1: Lightly grease a 1 1/2-qt. steamed pudding mold or casserole. In a med.-size bowl, stir together the flour, orange rind, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, and cloves.

Step 2: In a lrg. bowl, with an electric mixer on med., cream the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl often. Add the egg whites and beat well. Using a wooden spoon, stir in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the apple cider. Repeat, then stir in the remaining flour mixture. Stir in the raisins, carrot, cherries, pineapple, and pecans.

Step 3: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared mold. Cover mold with foil; tie foil in place with string.

Step 4: Place mold on rack in a Dutch oven. Pour boiling water into the Dutch oven until the water is halfway up the side of the mold. Cook, covered, over low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 5: Place mold upright on a wire rack and let stand for 10 mins.. Using a narrow metal spatula, loosen side of plum pudding from the mold, then invert the pudding onto a serving plate. Serve warm with Brandied Cider Sauce; top with vanilla ice cream if you like. (Or, cover and refrigerate the pudding--it will keep for 1 week. To reheat the pudding, steam as directed in step 4 for 1 hour or until heated through.)

Brandied Cider Sauce

In a sm. saucepan, whisk together 3/4 c. apple cider or apple juice, 1/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp. cornstarch. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Cook for 2 mins. or until the mixture is thickened, whisking constantly. Stir in 2 Tbsp. brandy or apple juice and 1 tsp. butter or butter replacement.

Makes approximately about 3/4 c..

Enjoy!