Every year at Christmas, my grandmother Valmai made the most exquisite Christmas Puddings. They were light and sticky; made with a base of treacle syrup, spiced fruit and a decadent sago filling.
A few years back, I decided to update her treasured recipe; we were hosting Christmas lunch and I needed three or four large puddings to cater for the crowd of thirty or more people attending.
Given that all our family has a gluten-free, gut-friendly eating plan, I needed to make a few tweeks. I’ve switched the traditional flour base to a lighter version with almond meal and coconut flour. The light fluffy texture is achieved with sweet potato and sago tapioca.
Many of the traditional pudding flavours as are still there, but I have switched the brandy for marsala, and added extra lemon and orange for a sweeter, lighter flavour. It’s more kid-friendly, and I think you will find it easier to digest than many of the traditional English recipes that use white flour and brandy.
Here’s the recipe, and if you are anything like me (panicking in the last few weeks leading up to Christmas (!) I have included some gift suggestions at the bottom of this mailer as well. Enjoy, and be Merry!
Kindly,
Belle
PS: If you know someone that might enjoy this, please do me a favour and hit the share button! Honestly, it means the world to me. Thank you!!!!
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
WHAT TO DO-
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.
A few last minute gifts -
If you are stuck on last minute gifts, I highly recommend trying a few things from scratch; you can whip up a box of home-made marshmallows, or try your hand at a few jars of easy-to-make sauerkraut.
I have been smitten this year by old-fashioned beeswax wraps for sandwiches and food wraps. They keep food fresher for longer, and also mean that we can give plastic the flick. I bought mine from Organic Wholefoods, but there are a number of fantastic local vendors that you can seek out at farmers markets as well.
A few months back, I experimented with adaptogenic hot chocolate recipes. I wasn’t that successful, but I did find a local maker that has an exquisite formula. If you have a moment, take a look at the social alchemy and check out their end-of-year sale.
Warm wishes for the weeks ahead,
Kindly,
Belle
PS: If you know someone that might enjoy this, please do me a favour and hit the share button! Honestly, it means the world to me. Thank you!!!!