It doesn’t need to be a special occasion to enjoy this warm, moist and flavourful dessert. Apples, cranberries and currants give it a new festive twist for a cold winter’s eve. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe, the pudding and butter can be prepared in advance and re-heated (see Cook’s Tip at the end of the recipe).
Serves: 12
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups fresh bread crumbs, made in a food processor with ACE Bakery® Rustic Italian Oval, crusts removed
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 3 cups dried apples, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups dried cranberries
- 1 cup dried currants
- 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup dark rum or bourbon
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest, lightly packed
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup dark rum or bourbon
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest, lightly packed
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup confectioner’s sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Pudding:
- Butter a 6-cup bundt pan, or non-stick pan.
- Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add dried fruit and toss to coat. Mix in bread crumbs.
- In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, dark rum or bourbon, lemon zest and vanilla and thoroughly blend. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until well-combined.
- Fit a trivet or shallow bowl (upside down) into the bottom of a pot that is at least 4 inches (10 cm) wider and 2 inches (5 cm) higher than your mould. Pour the batter into the pan mould, leaving the top inch (2.5 cm) free for the pudding to expand. Lay a buttered circle of parchment paper over the batter, buttered-side down, and cover the top of the mould with foil, securing it over the edge to keep out any condensation.
- Lower the mould onto the trivet in the pot and carefully pour water three-quarters of the way up the mould. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the temperature to medium-low making sure that the water stays at a simmer. Cover with the pot lid and let sit to steam for 2.5 hours, checking every half hour and top up with water if necessary.
For the Brown Sugar Butter:
- Mix the brown sugar and two-thirds of the dark rum or bourbon in a heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Mix in lemon zest and cool to room temperature.
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add remaining bourbon or dark rum, brown sugar mixture and confectioner’s sugar and beat until very smooth and fluffy.
Assembly:
- Remove the pudding from the pot, set on a rack and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Take off the parchment paper and invert the mould onto a baking sheet. If the pudding sticks, try gently easing the sides away from the baking pan with a knife.
- Transfer to a serving plate and either pipe the Brown Sugar Butter into rosettes around the plate, or spoon into a bowl and serve on the side.
- We’ve decorated our pudding with kumquats and figs, but feel free to place any seasonal garnish around the plate.
COOK’S TIPS
- When preparing in advance, wrap the pudding dishes in plastic wrap after cooling completely and refrigerate. To reheat, repeat the steaming process for about 1 hour or until warmed through, or heat in the microwave in a microwaveable dish.
- You can prepare the Brown Sugar Butter up to one week in advance and store by either piping into rosettes and placing them on wax paper in a container, or place in a ramekin and refrigerate.
This recipe is from ACE Bakery®.