Classic Christmas Pudding

Preparation 60 Minutes

Cook 6 hours Minutes

Serves 10

Method

  1. Combine fruit, brandy, rinds and apple. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in golden syrup. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
  3. Combine breadcrumbs, flour, spices and almonds. Add creamed butter mixture and soaked fruit, mixing well to combine.
  4. Grease a 2 litre capacity pudding basin, line the base with a double layer of baking paper.
  5. Spoon mixture into the basin and smooth top. Double line the top with baking paper rounds.
  6. Take a 60cm long piece of baking paper and 60cm piece of foil, layer and fold in half, make a 3cm pleat in the middle (this allows for any expansionof the pudding). Place sheets over pudding and secure tightly with string. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill one third with water and bring to boil. Carefully place pudding onto wire rack making sure the water level comes about halfway up pudding basin. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, replenish water when needed.
  7. Remove from water, stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve cut into slices with cream and maple syrup.

Ingredients

700g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit roughly chopped

1/2 cup brandy

2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 tbsp grated orange rind

1 green apple, peeled & grated

250g butter, softened

1 cup brown supgar, firmly packed

1/4 cup golden syrup

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs

1 cup self raising flour

2 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

110g Sunbeam Slivered Almonds

300mL dollop cream

1/4 maple syrup

Recipe Collection

White Christmas

  1. Grease and line base and sides of a 27cm x 17cm slice pan with baking paper, extending paper over sides.

  2. Place chocolate and coconut oil in large heatproof bowl over a saucepan one-third filled with simmering water. Stir until melted and remove from heat.

  3. Add sultanas, almonds, cherries, rice cakes and coconut. Stir to combine and spread into prepared pan. Press down firmly.

  4. Set aside to cool for 1 hour or until set. Refrigerate if weather is hot. Cut into 18 pieces to serve.

Cherry Ripe Slice

Line 27 x 18cm slice tray with baking paper, leaving 2cm of paper above edge to make removal of slice easier. Put biscuits in a bag and crush well. Combine biscuits and butter and press into base of prepared tray. Refrigerate for 20min till firm.

Combine coconut and icing sugar mixture in a bowl. Put white chocolate extra butter and cream in a small pan and cook gently over low heat. Stir frequently until chocolate has melted. Stir in food colouring.

Gently stir white chocolate mixture into coconut mixture, add cherries spread firmly on biscuit base, chill for 30min or until firm. Spread dark over the slice, refrigerate until firm, cut into squares to serve.

Chocolate & Hazelnut Meringue

  1. Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Trace 3 x 15cm diameter circles on baking paper and place onto oven trays.
  2. Set aside half of the hazelnuts and finely chop remaining half.
  3. Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until firm peaks have formed. Gradually add sugar a little at a time until all has been incorporated and mixture is thick and glossy. Remove bowl from machine and gently fold in the chopped hazelnuts and cocoa with a large metal spoon, until just combined.
  4. Divide mixture between prepared oven trays, spreading it within each of the circles. Bake for 1 hour, then turn the oven off and allow meringues to cool in the oven.
  5. For the cream, whip the cream and sugar together until firm peaks form. Roughly squash half of the raspberries with a fork and fold into the cream.
  6. For assembly, place one meringue disc onto a serving plate, top with ⅓ of the cream. Repeat process using all meringues and finishing with cream on top. Decorate with remaining raspberries and reserved hazelnuts. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Smoked Eggplant Dip

Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

  1.  Prick eggplant all over with a fork. Place both eggplants over a low gas flame on your cooktop, turning often until skin is charred all over. Remove to a lined baking tray and continue cooking in the oven for 30 minutes or until completely tender and cooked through. 
  2. When cool, peel skin away from eggplants, discarding stems and juices.
  3. Roughly chop the flesh and combine with yoghurt, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and seasonings. 
  4. Combine currants with sherry vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes.
  5. For serving, toss together the drained currants, pine nuts, parsley and seasonings. Spoon eggplant dip into a serving dish and sprinkle with pine nut mixture. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with warmed turkish bread.

Butter Biscuit Wreaths

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C and line with baking trays. Set aside 1/4 cup raisins for decorating. Roughly chop remaining raisins.

  2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Sift in flour and mixed spice and add chopped raisins. Mix until combined. Divide dough in half and form into two disks. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.

  3. Roll dough between sheets of baking paper to 0.5cm thick. Cut 8cm rounds with cookie cutter. Transfer to lined baking trays and cut 3cm circles from middle of rounds to form rings. Reroll dough as necessary and refrigerate if too soft. Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly coloured. Cool on trays.

  4. To decorate, working with one biscuit at a time, drizzle white chocolate over the top and decorate with raisins, almonds and other decorations.

Almond Sultana Florentines

Preheat oven to 160°C.

  1. Combine butter and condensed milk in a small bowl.
  2. Mix together almonds, coconut, cherries and sultanas until evenly distributed and pour over butter mixture and quickly mix with a wooden spoon until mixture comes together.
  3. Place tablespoons of the mixture onto baking paper lined oven trays, flattening and shaping into 3cm rounds, allow at least 3cm between biscuits for spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool on trays and transfer to wire racks. (If baking in a slice pan, press mixture to approximately 1cm thick and bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool. Top with melted chocolate and leave to set. Slice to serve.)
  4. When cool spread the base of each biscuit with a teaspoon of chocolate and leave to set. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Tip: Use damp fingers to shape and flatten biscuits.

Join Our Recipe Club