Traditional Christmas Puddings
Preparation 1 hour
Cook 6 HRS for Large & 4 HRS for Small
Serves 10
Method
- Combine mixed fruit, raisins, brandy and cranberry sauce in a large bowl. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in maple syrup. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir butter mixture, sifted self-raising flour and spices, fresh breadcrumbs and almonds into soaked fruit, mixing well.
- Grease a 2 litre and 1 litre capacity pudding basin and a line both the bases with a double layer of baking paper. Fill mixture into the large basin to approximately 3cm from top of basin. Spoon remainder into small basin and smooth tops. Double line each of the tops of the puddings 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 expansion of the pudding). Place sheets over large pudding and secure tightly with string. Repeat process for small pudding.
- Place wire racks onto the base of a large and a medium saucepan and fill both one third with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place puddings onto wire rack in each saucepan making sure the water level comes about halfway up each pudding basin. Cover and simmer the large pudding 6 hours and the small pudding for 4 hours. Replenish with boiling water when needed.
- Serve with custard or cream with a dash of brandy added.
Ingredients
700g SUNBEAM Mixed Fruit
150g SUNBEAM Raisins
½ cup brandy
275g jar of Cranberry Sauce
250g butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup self-raising flour
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 ½ cups fresh white breadcrumbs
200g SUNBEAM Australian Slivered Almonds
Recipe Collection
Rum & Raisin Profiterole Wreath
To make the custard, combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 mins. Drain and roughly chop the raisins.
Combine milk, cream and vanilla in a medium sized, heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Not letting the milk come to a boil, stir until warmed.
In a separate bowl combine egg yolks and sugar, whisk until mixed then add flour and whisk to incorporate.
Gradually add the egg mixture to the milk, whisking over a medium heat, until it is all added and incorporated. The custard will thicken, continue to whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring through the soaked raisins.
To make the choux pastry, preheat oven to 190ºC (170ºC fan). Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine butter and sugar with 250ml water. Stir over a medium-high heat until the water begins to boil and the butter has melted. Remove pan from the heat, add the flour and use a wooden spoon to vigorously mix to combine. The mixture will begin to resemble a dough – return pan to medium heat and cook for a further 1-3 mins, stirring, until you notice the dough pulling away from the sides of the pan. Spoon the dough into a bowl of a stand mixer and allow to cool slightly (10 mins).
Fit the stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Add vanilla bean paste and 1 egg and whisk until just combined. Repeat with remaining eggs until your dough is glossy.
Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag fitted with large, round, open tip. Spray the surface of the baking paper with a fine mist of water.
Pipe 12 rounds, evenly spaced, onto each prepared tray. Bake for 30-40 mins, ensuring the oven door stays closed for the first 25 mins, until the pastries are puffed and golden. In the final 5 mins, prick the base of the pastries with a toothpick and return to the oven to dry out.
Turn off the oven and open the door, allow pastries to cool completely in the oven.
Once the pastries are cool dip in melted chocolate (white and dark) and rest on a baking rack until chocolate sets.
Pipe each profiterole with the rum and raisin custard. Arrange in a wreath shape on a large, round serving platter. Decorate with cherries, raspberries and mint leaves. Generously drizzle with chocolate sauce to serve.
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
Beef & Apricot Tagine
1. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan, add onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add spices and cook a further minute until fragrant. Add to the pot of a slow cooker.
2. Using the remaining oil, sear beef in batches until well browned. Add to the slow cooker with the stock, tomatoes, cinnamon and orange peel. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
3. Add the apricots and chickpeas in the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Season well. Serve beef with almonds and coriander and accompany with rice and yoghurt.
*For a faster cooking time, cook on High heat for 4 hours.
Christmas Cake Friands (GF)
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans.
- Place fruit and brandy in a microwave proof dish and cook on medium heat for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
- Sift icing sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir in the almond meal and flour.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Mix in the butter and add to the icing sugar mixture. Stirring until well combined.
- Pour mixture between prepared moulds and bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans and cool completely on a cooling rack.
- For icing, combine icing sugar and water mixing until smooth. Allow to sit until desired consistency is achieved. Spoon over each cake and finish with lemon rind and raspberries.
Shortbread Layered Fruit Mince Butter Cake
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
Grease 3 round 20cm (8-inch) cake pans; line base and sides with baking paper.
Beat butter, extract and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Stir in sifted flours and milk, in two batches. Spread mixture into pan; smooth surface.
Bake cake about 1/2 hour. Stand in pan 5 minutes; turn, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool. Grab your prepared Sunbeam Fruit Mince and spread a generous layer over each cake then cover with a layer of cream. Stack the 3 cakes and then cover whole cake with cream icing.
Arrange summer fruits on top & dust with sifted icing sugar, arrange the gingerbread cookies as desired to decorate before serving.
Crispy Chocolate Puddings
- Lightly oil 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans. Combine chocolate and butter in a microwave proof bowl and heat on medium setting for 1 minute, stir well. Return to microwave in 10 second bursts if required to continue melting.
- In a large bowl, combine the rice bubbles, sultanas, walnuts and coconut. Mix well. Add melted chocolate and stir until all ingredients are well coated in chocolate. Spoon between prepared muffin pans, pressing mixture in firmly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Slide a small spatula down the side of each muffin cup to remove the chocolate pudding. Turn upside down and spoon on some melted chocolate to resemble custard. Decorate with sprinkles.
