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GLUTEN-FREE CHRISTMAS PUDDING
500 g mixed dried fruit
75 ml brandy
75 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
50 g polenta
1 small Bramley apple, peeled and coarsely grated
75 g unsalted butter, frozen and grated, plus a little extra for greasing
60 g ground almonds
Grated zest of ½ orange
Grated zest of ½ lemon
2 level tablespoons black treacle
½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs beaten
1
put the dried fruit in a large bowl and add the brandy and orange juice, then mix together well and leave for half an hour
2
add the polenta, apple, butter, almonds, zests, treacle and spices and mix well again; then cover with clingfilm and leave for an hour
3
add the eggs and mix thoroughly – the resulting mixture should be fairly wet, so add a little more juice if it feels dry
4
grease well a 1 litre pudding basin and put a small disc of buttered greaseproof paper in the base; spoon enough mixture into it to come almost to the top, then smooth the top; cut a circle of greaseproof paper large enough to fit on top of the pudding basin, then cut a piece of foil at least 7.5cm larger than the top of the basin and make a pleat in the centre; butter the circle of greaseproof paper and place, buttered-side down on top of the pudding, then cover the top of the basin with the foil; smooth the foil down the sides and firmly tie a piece of string around, then trim away any excess foil
5
pour 5cm water into a pasta saucepan which has its own colander; bring the water to the boil then lower the colander with the pudding basin in it into the saucepan; reduce the heat to a simmer and put the lid on; steam the pudding for 1 ½ hours
6
after this time, leave the pudding to stand for half an hour before carefully unmoulding it; serve with crème fraiche