Clementine & Ginger Pudding with Brandy Caramel
4 people
00h 30
02h 15With the daylight dwindling and winter’s main event drawing closer, we hark back to a retro (but still brilliant) cooking method; steaming. There’s something about the comfort of a steamed pudding that takes you back to jam topped sponges with canteen custard, and at this time of year that level of nostalgia is exactly what you need from a dessert. My steamed pudding is a sort of sticky toffee variety, spiked with lots of clementine zest and ginger and served hot with salted brandy caramel (and ice cream, I suggest). Make this on Christmas Day as a light(ish), delicious and simple alternative to old school dried fruit pudding that I’m sure it will go down a treat!
Recipe courtesy of Tassy Goodall. Tassy is a chef, blogger, and bespoke cake maker.
Ingredients and Method
Ingredients
- 3 Clementines, zested and 5mm thick slices
- 200g Pitted dates, soaked
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 50g Soft butter, plus extra for greasing
- 175g Soft light brown sugar
- 40g Golden syrup
- 40g Black treacle
- 200g Self-raising flour
- 2 tsp Ground ginger
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 200g Granulated sugar
- 30g Butter
- 100ml Double cream
- 2-3 tbsp Brandy
- Pinch of Sea salt
Method
- Start off by greasing your Mason Cash Pudding Basin generously with butter then line with walls and base with clementine slices. Set aside.
- Tip the pitted dates into a bowl and pour over 200ml boiling water. Let them soak for 10 minutes. Cream together the vanilla, butter and sugar until light and fluffy (in a large bowl with electric beaters or in the bowl of a stand mixer).
- Tip the dates and water into a food processor and blitz into a thick liquid then add to the butter mixture along with the golden syrup, black treacle, self-raising flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, eggs and bicarbonate of soda. Mix on a low speed, occasionally stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl, until you have a smooth, well combined batter.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared Pudding Basin to around 3cm under the top rim.
- Grease a large piece of baking paper and create a pleat in the top. Repeat with some kitchen foil and lay this on top of the baking paper (making sure the pleats align). Place the two layers on top of the Pudding Basin and secure on under the outer rim with string (making sure the pleat is still intact: This will allow the pudding to expand). Trim the baking paper and scrunch the foil under it to secure it all in place. For more information on how to prepare your pudding for steaming, read our guide.
- Now you will need a large saucepan with a lid and something like a tall metal cookie cutter (or heatproof plate) to stand in the bottom (acting as a trivet) to prevent the pudding basin from touching the base directly.
- Pop the acting-trivet in the base with the pudding resting on top, then fill the saucepan with boiling water half way up the pudding basin. Put the lid on the pan, turn the heat onto low and steam for 1hr 45- 2hrs 15 minutes until the top of the pudding is firm to the touch and a knife comes out clean with just moist crumbs attached (TIP: avoid removing the pudding from the saucepan until at least 1hr 45 minutes and make sure the water doesn’t dry out or boil violently. You want the water to simmer gently at half way up the basin throughout steaming).
- While the pudding is cooking make the brandy caramel. To do this simply melt the sugar in a heavy bottom pan, swirling occasionally, until it reaches a deep amber colour, then add the butter and cream, stir (it will spit so be careful) and remove from the heat before adding the brandy and salt. Give it a last stir then set aside ready to serve alongside the pudding.
- To present the pudding, remove it from the basin by running a knife around the edge and turning it out onto a plate, then top with the caramel and a sprig of holly and serve with ice cream.
