Christmas steamed sponge pudding
This festive steamed sponge pudding recipe is the perfect solution for those who find the classic Christmas pudding a tad too heavy. Based loosely on a syrup sponge pudding, but imbued with dried fruits and warming spices, this pudding makes a fantastic crowd-pleaser of a Christmas dessert.
Ingredients
Christmas steamed sponge pudding
- 2 oranges , 1 juiced and zested, 1 cut into thin slices to decorate
- 3 tbsp of golden syrup, plus extra to drizzle
- 175g of unsalted butter , softened, plus a little extra for greasing
- 175g of muscovado sugar, light
- 3 eggs , medium, beaten
- 75g of self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
- 75g of fresh breadcrumbs
- 75g of prunes , ready-to-eat, chopped
- 75g of dates, ready-to-eat, chopped
- 1 lemon , juiced and zested
Method
1
Generously grease the inside of a 1.2 litre (2 pint) pudding basin. Pour the golden syrup into the base and arrange the orange slices on the base and sides
2
Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy
3
Gradually add the beaten egg to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well between each addition
4
Sift the flour and spice into the bowl and fold in the breadcrumbs, chopped fruit, orange and lemon zest and juice with a large metal spoon (don’t worry if the mixture curdles)
5
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding basin and smooth the top
6
Cut out a large circles of buttered baking paper and foil (approximately 30cm/12 inches wide). Place one on top of the other and and create a 2.5cm/1 inch pleat down the middle
7
With the foil uppermost and buttered baking paper underneath, place on top of the pudding basin. Tie the foil and baking paper tightly around the bowl using a long piece of string. Trim away any excess paper and foil, leaving about 5cm/2 inches of foil and paper around the sides of the bowl. Tie a piece of string over the top to act as a handle
8
Place a small heatproof plate upside down in the bottom of a large saucepan and put the pudding basin on top. Pour in enough boiling water so that it comes halfway up the basin
9
Cover and steam for 2 hours over a medium heat, topping up with more boiling water as necessary
10
Turn out onto a plate, drizzle with the extra syrup and serve with cream or ice-cream. The pudding will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge
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Christmas steamed sponge pudding
