Quick and Easy Christmas Pudding
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook 30 Minutes
Serves 8-10
Method
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Place fruit and brandy in microwaveable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
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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.
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Grease and flour a 1.5L microwaveable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double-layer of baking paper secured with kitchen string.
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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. Serve with custard.
Ingredients
375g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit
100g Sunbeam Australian Raisins
100g Angas Park Dates
1/2 cup brandy
150g butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 free-range eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
custard, to serve
Recipe Collection
Gingerbread Almond Wreath
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Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a 22cm ring tin.
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Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
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Stir in the almond meal, coconut, bi-carb and spices. Mix well, then stir in the currants and sultanas. Pour into prepared pan and scatter the top with flaked almonds. Bake for 55-60 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Serve on a platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and fill the cavity with raspberries.
Bread and Butter Pudding
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
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Combine sultanas and juice in a small bowl and set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, sugar and vanilla.
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Sprinkle some of the sultanas and chocolate over the base of a rectangular baking dish. Arrange half of croissants in the baking dish, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with more of the sultanas and chocolate. Top with remaining croissants, sultanas and chocolate.
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Pour egg mixture over croissants allowing time for it to be absorbed, approximately 30 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds.
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Bake pudding for 35-40 minutes or until set. Serve warm with cream or ice-cream.
Beef Crostini Sunmuscat Relish
This appetiser is nice way to begin a Christmas meal.
For the relish. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add Sunmuscats, port, vinegar, chilly, and thyme sprig. Raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. stir in chopped thyme, celery, salt, and pepper.
To serve, combine mayonnaise and mustard, and spread about 2 teaspoons on each slice of baguette. Top with a slice of beef, season with salt, and top with 1 teaspoon sunmuscat-port relish. Garnish with micro herbs.

Panforte
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan.
- Place sugar, honey and chocolate in a large saucepan and gently heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in the raisins, figs, cherries, cranberries and nuts. Mix well.
- Add flour, cocoa and spices to mixture and working quickly mix it together until all combined. You may need to wear a thick rubber glove. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before removing from pan to cool completely.
Honey Roast Chicken with Nutty Stuffing
Preheat the oven to 220c on fan-forced.
Combine stuffing ingredients in a food processor until roughly chopped.
Remove stems from rosemary and combine with honey, olive oil in a small bowl.
Fill chicken with nutty stuffing and roast chicken for 20 mins.
Remove chicken after 20 mins and cover outside with honey glaze, season with salt.
Cook for a further 25 mins on 180c until golden
Layered Caramel Cake with Christmas Fruit Cream
Step 1: In a medium bowl soak Sunbeam fruit with orange rind, maple syrup & boiling water for 2 hours.
Step 2: Caramel Ganache. In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the caramilk chocolate and 400ml of cream to form a ganache. Once melted and well combined, stir and set aside to cool. Once the caramilk ganache has cooled, whip with a hand blender till firm.
Step 3: Fruit Cream. Remove orange rind and drain fruit of any excess liquid. Set liquid aside as you will use this later. In a large bowl whip 400ml cream, corn flour and All Spice until firm. Add fruit mix to cream and stir through.
Step 4: Assemble. Cut your sponge cake into halves so you have 4 pieces to form 4 layers. On each layer of the cake spread 2-3 tablespoons of the caramilk ganache followed by 2-3 tablespoons of the fruit cream mix – spread evenly and layer your cake.
Garnish with any leftover ganache and cream and top with seasonal fresh fruits.