Classic Christmas Pudding
Preparation 60 Minutes
Cook 6 hours Minutes
Serves 10
Method
- Combine fruit, brandy, rinds and apple. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in golden syrup. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Combine breadcrumbs, flour, spices and almonds. Add creamed butter mixture and soaked fruit, mixing well to combine.
- Grease a 2 litre capacity pudding basin, line the base with a double layer of baking paper.
- Spoon mixture into the basin and smooth top. Double line the top with baking paper rounds.
- 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.
- 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
Baked Brie with Fruit & Nuts
Soak dried fruit in maple syrup & hot water to coat for 15β20 mins until plump and sticky. The longer the soak the plumper the fruit gets.
Score the top of the brie (light cross-hatch), place on a baking dish or lined tray. Bake at 180Β°C for 10 mins, until soft and gooey.
Top with the soaked fruit mixture and a little extra maple syrup.
Serve warm with crusty bread & crackers
Smoked Eggplant Dip
Pre-heat oven to 180Β°C (160Β°C fan-forced).
- Β 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.Β
- When cool, peel skin away from eggplants, discarding stems and juices.
- Roughly chop the flesh and combine with yoghurt, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and seasonings.Β
- Combine currants with sherry vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes.
- 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.
Hot Cross Bun Loaf
Place flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon and salt in mixing bowl and briefly mix until combined.Β
Add in melted butter, warm milk, egg, sultanas and currants.Β
Mix with dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until a dough ball is formed and is coming away from the sides of the bowl.Β
Leave the dough covered with clingfilm in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until doubles in size.Β
Knock the air out of the dough and then shape it into a loaf.Β
Place dough into a greased dough tin approximately 24cm x 13cm x 6.5 cm in size.Β
Cover dough with cling film again and let rise for approximately 40 minutes or until it has risen to about 70% of its original size.Β
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.Β
Cross MethodΒ
Mix flour and water together until a thickish paste forms. Using a ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag, pipe crosses down the center of the loaf, and then across the other way three or four times.Β
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when you tap it.Β
Let cool on a baking rack for 15-20 minutes.Β Β
Drizzle MethodΒ
Mix icing sugar and lemon juice together and drizzle over loaf whilst still slightly warm.Β
Decadent Christmas Cake
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Pre-heat oven to 150Β°C (130Β°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a deep 20cm cake pan with three layers of baking paper. Combine mixed fruit, raisins, and sultanas in a large saucepan. Add water and port, mix through. Place over a low heat for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and fruit softened. Set aside to cool.
-
Using electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until all incorporated. Fold in flours and spices.
-
Remove from mixing stand and fold in the fruit mixture with a large spoon. Mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Decorate with almonds bake for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush the top with jam whilst the cake is still warm.
Chocolate Ripple Christmas Wreath
You will need to begin this recipe the night before
Whip the cream to soft peaks.Β
Spread a few tablespoons of whipped cream onto the base of a 26-28cm round serving plate.Β Β This will stop your wreath from sliding around.
Dollop 1 flat tbsp of whipped cream onto a biscuit and top with another biscuit.Β Β Repeat until you have a stack of 5 biscuits, the top biscuit should not have any cream on top.
Repeat to make 8 stacks of biscuits.
On the prepared serving plate, arrange the biscuit stacks into a wreath shape.Β Β Spread the entire biscuit wreath with just enough whipped cream to ensure the biscuits are covered on top and around the sides.Β Β Refrigerate overnight, reserving remaining whipped cream.
When ready to serve, spread remaining whipped cream around the wreath.Β Β Decorate with dried fruit and nuts.
Almond Mandarin Cake
- Put the whole mandarins in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until tender when tested with a skewer, topping up water as necessary. Drain, cool to room temperature, cut in half and remove any pips.
- Preheat oven to 160Β°C and line the base of a lightly greased 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
- Blend the cooled mandarins, eggs and sugar in a food processor until well combined. Add the almond meal, baking powder and orange blossom water (if using) and pulse until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
