Easy Christmas Pudding

by Margaret
(Birmingham)

This has got to be the easiest Christmas Pudding Recipe on the planet! It has come from the well known chef, Bill Granger, and the brandy sauce is really yummee too!

Very easy plum puddings with brandy sauce

Ingredients
serves 10

300 g (101/2 oz) raisins
100 g (31/2 oz) sultanas
100 g (31/2 oz) currants
100 g (31/2 oz) glace fruit (figs, apricots or cherries)
150 g (51/2 oz) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
175 g (6 oz) brown sugar
1 tablespoon marmalade
3 tablespoons brandy
300 g (101/2 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Grease ten 200 ml (7 fl oz) muffin tins or dariole moulds.

Heat the dried and glace fruit, butter, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, marmalade, 1 tablespoon of the brandy and 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) of water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then allow to cool.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and cocoa. Add the eggs to the cooled fruit mixture, then add the flour mix and stir together. Spoon into the tins or moulds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when you poke it into the center. Remove from the oven and pour the rest of the brandy over the puddings while they are still warm. Serve with brandy sauce.


Brandy sauce

600 ml (21 fl oz) milk
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
60 g (21/4 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), mixed with 4 tablespoons cold milk
50 g (13/4 oz) butter
1 tablespoon brandy

Put the milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and sugar in a small pan and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the cornflour mixture and keep stirring until thickened. Stir in the butter and brandy.