30 Minute Christmas Pudding
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook 20 Minutes
Serves 8-10
Method
- Place fruit and brand in microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and mixed spice over butter mixture, then stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Mix well. Grease and flour a 1.5L microwavable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double layer or baking paper secured with kitchen string.
- Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 30 minutes, rotating the bowl after 20 minutes. Test with a skewer inserted into pudding. If it doesn’t come out clean, microwave at 5 minute intervals until done. Leave pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate.
Optional meringue peak: In a heatproof bowl combine 90g egg whites with 150g caster sugar, place over a small saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Use a stand mixer or handheld beater to whisk until very stiff peaks form (about 8-10 mins). Dollop the meringue on top of the pudding and use a kitchen blowtorch to toast.
Ingredients
575g Sunbeam Bake Fruit Blends for Pudding
½ cup brandy
150g butter, softened to room temperature, plus extra to grease
¾ cup brown sugar
2 free-range eggs
½ cup plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
Recipe Collection
Walnut & Sultana Monkey Bread
Prepare the dough: The dough comes together with a mixer. You can also make the dough by hand, but it requires a bit of arm muscle. After the dough comes together in the mixing bowl, it’s time to knead. You can simply continue beating the dough with the mixer for this step or you can knead the dough by hand.
Let the dough rise: The dough rises in about 1-2 hours in a relatively warm environment.
Punch down the dough: Punch down the dough to release the air.
Shape & coat dough balls: Pull off little pieces of dough and roll into balls. Dunk the balls into melted butter, then coat with cinnamon sugar. Little bakers love to help out with this step! Good thing to note: the heavier the cinnamon-sugar coating, the more these little monkey bread bites will taste like gooey cinnamon rolls.
Let the shaped monkey bread rest for 20 minutes: Arrange the coated balls in a flat oven proof pan or a cast iron pan, cover lightly, then set aside to rest as you preheat the oven. The balls will slightly rise during this time.
Top with buttery brown sugar sauce: Before baking the monkey bread, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract together. Stir in the nuts. Pour any remaining sauce sauce all over the dough balls.
Bake:
Bake until the top is lightly browned, about 40 minutes.
Invert onto serving plate: Allow the monkey bread to cool for 5-10 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate.
Drizzle with vanilla icing: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Drizzle all over the warm monkey bread. Top with extra nuts
Christmas Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper patty cases. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter, mixed spice and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in flour alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in Sunbeam sultanas.
Spoon mixture into paper cases until two-thirds full.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing: beat cream cheese with icing mixture. Slowly fold melted and cooled chocolate.
Ice the cupcakes and decorate with mini gingerbread houses.
Chocolate Bark Variations
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Cook until the chocolate is almost entirely melted, stirring frequently.
Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread chocolate evenly over the centre area of the baking sheet—aim for about ¼″ thickness
Sprinkle the nuts, seeds & fruit evenly over the chocolate. Lightly use your palms to press the toppings into the chocolate.
Place the pan on a flat surface in the refrigerator to set.
Once the chocolate is completely hardened, use your hands to break it into about 25 pieces. Serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Chutney for Glazed Ham
Put the vinegar and sugar in a large pan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Put the remaining ingredients in the pan and bubble on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
The chutney is ready when the mixture looks sticky and thick, and a wooden spoon leaves a brief trail on the bottom of the pan.
Leave to cool, then pour into sterilised jars
Almond & Sultana Snowballs
Blitz ingredients in a small blender or kitchen wiz until sticky and evenly combined.
Roll into small balls (about 1 tablespoon (30g) each).
Coat in extra almonds & desiccated coconut.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Keeps for up to 1 week refrigerated.
Gifting tip:
Pack them into a kraft paper box or clear cellophane bag tied with twine and a “Handmade with Love” tag for the perfect holiday treat
Pine nut, Sultana & Maple Tart
Place the maple syrup, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir to combine them. Add the butter, place the saucepan over med-high heat, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl; add the sultanas & allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream, followed by the egg and egg yolk.
Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees.
Place the tart shell on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Distribute the pine nuts evenly over the bottom of the tart shell and pour the custard into the shell until it reaches the top of the crust. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until both the crust and the filling have turned light golden brown and the custard is set but still jiggly.
Serve the tart while still slightly warm, or cool it and serve at room temperature. Leftovers will keep, wrapped in plastic, for a few days in the refrigerator.
