Sago Christmas Pudding
A dead-easy, gluten-free version of the original classic. And your kids will love it too.
It’s been a long year, but we are ready for Christmas, hooray!
This weekend, my kids have been elbow-deep stirring together currants with marsala, pre-soaking large bowls of milky sago and finely grating odd bits of bristling sweet potato. It’s pudding-weekend, and there’s plenty to do. I am not sure how you might be feeling about the week ahead, but in any case, a good Pudding will certainly make everyone feel better.
Sago Christmas Pudding
I grew up enjoying traditional Christmas Puddings; heavy and rich, flavoured with mixed spices, dried fruit and piqued by a touch of brandy. I didn’t always enjoy them, but always loved the traditional that ‘at Christmas, we eat pudding!’
A few years ago, I came across my Grandmother’s recipe for a sago-based Christmas pudding, which I later shared with GoodFood.com for their gluten-free Christmas special. I liked this recipe as it was lighter, fluffier and easier to digest compared to traditional recipes. I’ve tweaked it further, and adapted the ingredients so that it can be Gluten-Free and Paleo-Friendly. In any case, it’s generally a winner with kids (who often don’t warm to the traditional versions), and you can make it in a far shorter cooking time.
Make it Easier by-
Puddings can be made days, and even weeks in advance. I often make double, and use the second one to make Christmas Pudding ICE CREAM for the weeks that follow our Christmas celebrations. A simple way to do this is to break the pudding into small chunks and stir through a no-churn vanilla ice-cream before it sets. On second thoughts, a chocolate, no-churn ice-cream would work just as well (arguably, better). I’d add a dash of marsala just to add to the festive feel.
We haven’t had a stove top for over two months now (!), and I have been getting quite nifty with our slow cooker (donated to me by someone in our local Buy Nothing Group (how I LOVE this group!!)). Anyway, as I’ve learnt - puddings CAN be made it slow cookers. Add an inch of water to the bottom, and cook as usual, BINGO! In fact, it’s less stressful than stovetop cooking (less steam, heat and fuss in the kitchen).
What I am LOVING this week-
Do you like hot chocolate with a kick? I discovered this Super-Spiced Cacao that was so strong and heat-inducing, that it gave me a pleasantly sensational burn in my throat.. But now I am smitten; it’s rich with warming spices; ginger, clove and cardamom help stimulate digestion, and it’s putting me in a better mood each morning, without caffeine kick! Take a look at Calmer Chai Super Spiced Cacao.
With our recent stove-top absence, I have learnt how to make a fondue. Strange to think that I have held out for so long, but I am now a FONDUE-CONVERT. When you have people to fondue dinner, there’s no need to fuss with the multi-tasking (cooking, preparing, organising bench-spaces) the bubbling cheese pot in the centre makes it SO MUCH easier, and a lot more fun .. (take me back to 1960 please!). So now, my new entertaining go-to is a plate of vegetable crudites, gluten-free Blender Bread, and a large pot of Compte fondue. If you are interested, take a squiz on ebay secondhand, as there seems to a whole generation of fondue makers that are making a resurgence!
RECIPE: SAGO CHRISTMAS PUDDING
INGREDIENTS -
1 cup milk (dairy, coconut or nut milk is fine)
1/2 cup sago tapioca
5 tablespoons currants
4 tablespoons sultanas
7 medjool dates, finely chopped
2 tablespoons marsala
1/3 cup lemon juice
120g butter (roughly equivalent to a generous 1/2 cup) you can also use lard or suet (if you would like to be a little more traditional).
3/4 cup treacle
grated zest of 1 small orange
grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 cup finely grated sweet potato (OR - 4/5 cup sweet potato, uncut)
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup psyllium husk
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
HOW TO MAKE -
Place the sago and milk together in a bowl, stir gently and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the dried fruit, marsala, stir gently and set aside.
In a blender on low speed, combine the lemon juice, butter and treacle together and blend slowly to form a smooth mixture. Add the sweet potato and citrus rind and blend at high speed until well combined. Next, add the remaining ingredients, one at a time and mix well to form a smooth paste.
In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the blender mixture with the sago and milk. Stir well using a wooden spoon. Next add the dried fruit mixture and continue to stir until well combined.
Prepare a pudding bowl by coating the sides with a light layer of butter. Pour in the pudding mixture and fill to the top leaving a 2cm gap for expansion during cooking (see below image).
Cover the bowl with baking paper and secure it with a tight-fitting rubber band.
Place the pudding bowl in a large saucepan with a well-fitted lid (if you have one - a heavy ceramic saucepan is ideal as it insulates the mixture very well). Pour in the water so that it comes half-way up the sides of the pudding bowl, and secure the lid on top.
Place the saucepan on a low heat and (if you can) shift the pudding bowl so that it is not directly over the heat coming from the stovetop.
Gently cook for 1.5-2 hours. I like to check the pudding every 30 minutes to ensure that its cooking evenly. You can test if it is ready by removing the paper and taking a teaspoon of the mixture from the centre of the bowl (just at the top, you don’t need to dig deep). When the sago balls are clear, its ready to go. It will be quite soft and doughy, but will become firmer as it cools.
Serve immediately with fresh cream and berries, or store in the refrigerator to be prepared ahead of time (make sure it is covered with the baking paper to prevent it from drying out in the fridge).
To re-heat it, simply heat it up gently on the stovetop in a saucepan with water for 20 minutes before serving.
In the days that follow Christmas, the pudding leftovers can be re-invented into Christmas Pudding ice-cream or Bread and Butter pudding. We have found that this recipe lasts for a good week or so in the fridge and doesn’t spoil easily.
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