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
Spiced Currant Biscuits
- Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold ii the flour mixture slowly, then stir in currants and lemon zest. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out dough 4-5mm thick then cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on the trays. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings.
- Sprinkle biscuits with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes until firm to touch but still pale. Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Fruit Truffles
- Add chocolate to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
- Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter, currants and salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm but still able to be scooped with a spoon.
- To make truffles, scoop 1 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a rough ball. Repeat with remaining mixture (you should make about 24)
- Arrange crushed nuts, desiccated coconut and cacao powder in separate bowls. Roll each of the truffles into different coatings to decorate.*to make coloured coconut we combined desiccated coconut with a few drops of food colouring
Rum and Raisin Fudge
Lightly grease and line base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.
Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 mins.
In a medium saucepan combine sweetened condensed milk, butter, sugar and golden syrup and constantly stir over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, stir constantly for about 8-10 mins until the temperature reaches between 113-115ºC.*
Remove pan from heat, add chocolate melts and soaked raisins and stir to combine. Transfer to prepared tin using a spatula to smooth the surface then allow to cool at room temperature for 5-6 hours until firm.
Cut into 5cm long slices then cut each slice into 8 rectangles.
If you don’t own a candy thermometer, you can also check if the fudge is ready by taking a small amount and dropping it into a glass of cold water. When the mixture sets into a soft ball that doesn’t stick to your fingers when gently pinched, the fudge is ready. This is referred to as “soft ball” stage.
Fruit & Nut Biscotti
Heat oven to 180 degrees C. Generously butter or spray bottom and sides of loaf pan with cooking spray.
In large bowl, stir flour, nuts, sultanas, flax seeds, brown sugar, salt and baking soda. Stir in milk. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake 50 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack. Transfer to freezer and freeze at least 1 hour, but no more than 3 hours.
Heat oven to 200 degrees c. Remove loaf from pan. Use sharp serrated knife to cut loaf into 1/8-inch thick slices. Arrange slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway through baking. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Store at room temperature in airtight container up to 1 week.
Zucchini Salad
Cut the zucchini into long, thin ribbons using a mandolin or vegetable peeler.
Whisk together lemon juice and olive oil, season. Pour over the zucchini, gently toss to combine then allow to sit for 10 mins to marinate.
Drain zucchini and arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle over pine nuts, sultanas, raisins and feta. Scatter over mint leaves just before serving.
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.
