Plum Pudding. Christmas classic.

When I lived in New Zealand, you could find puddings in every supermarket. And I don't mean the milk-and-starch-based kind. But the English kind which more resembles a cake, either chocolate, caramel or passion fruit. They came in little plastic pots, you would heat them up in the microwave, turn them over on a little plate and the sauce would very slowly run down the sides. Especially the chocolate kind was devine. And around Christmas, you could find plum pudding and mince pies.

Original Christmas Puddings are made with suet, which is kinda hard to find where I live - so I used butter. And I don't have a pudding mold for steaming, so I googled and found a method to steam in the oven.

And those puddings need a lot of time, first for soaking and baking, then for resting so that the flavors can develop.


PLUM PUDDING

3 1/2 cups dried and chopped fruit, eg:
  * 3/4 cup prunes, chopped
  * 3/4 cup dates, chopped
  * 3/4 cup raisins
  * 1/2 cup dried figs, chopped
  * 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  * 1/4 cup orange peel, diced
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, fresh
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup rum

3 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
100 g / 1 stick butter, melted
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional, I used it only for color)


Soak dried fruit, spices and rum for several hours. Overnight is even better, but then make sure to cover it so the alcohol won't dissipate.


Mix breadcrumbs, flour and brown sugar with fruit, let them soak over night.

The next day, mix melted butter with eggs and milk, then whisk in almonds, cocoa and baking powder. Stir that into the fruit-breadcrumb mixture. It will be kinda crumbly, not much like the most doughs.


Butter enough cake pans or oven-proof bowls, then fill in the dough. Make an even surface with the back of a spoon, then cover with aluminum foil. Place all bowls and cake pans in your largest roasting pan, fill to 3/4 with boiling water, cover the whole thing with aluminum foil and bake at 140°C / 280°F for 2 hours.

Let it rest for ca. 2 weeks, then reheat it using the steaming method above. Serve hot, flambé it with rum and serve with brandy butter. That's just butter, powdered sugar and a tablespoon of brandy whisked together.