Vegetarian Christmas pudding

INGREDIENTS

For the pudding:

100g plain flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ginger powder

100g fresh white breadcrumbs

100g dark muscovado sugar

150g chilled butter

150g sultanas

150g raisins

50g candied peel, diced

1 apple, grated

50g chopped dates

50g honey or golden syrup

1 lemon, grated rind and juice

2 eggs, lightly beaten

60ml brandy

For the brandy butter:

100g unsalted butter

1 orange, grated rind

100g icing sugar

3 tablespoons brandy

For flaming:

2 teaspoons caster sugar, for dredging

4-6 tablespoons of brandy

METHOD

1) Sieve the flour and spices into a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs, then add the sugar.

2) Rub the butter into this mixture until it resembles a rough breadcrumb texture. Stir in the sultanas, raisins, peel, grated apple and chopped dates. Lightly whisk together the golden syrup, lemon rind and juice, eggs and brandy. Pour into the fruit mixture and stir well to combine everything together.

3) Lightly grease 2x500ml pudding basins and spoon in the pudding mixture. Fill to about 1cm from the top of the bowls. Cover each pudding with greaseproof paper and secure with a double layer of foil, tied in place with string.

Steam each pudding for 2-3 hours, until they have darkened and are firm to touch. To save time you can cook them in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before turning out.

4) When completely cool, wrap each pudding in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin. This pudding tastes even better if given a month or so to mature after steaming.

5) For the brandy butter; beat the butter and orange rind until softened and gradually stir in the icing sugar, then the brandy. Don’t add the brandy in one go, as it might curdle. Turn the butter into a bowl and chill until ready to serve.

6) When you are ready to serve the puddings, return them to the pudding bowls and cover once more with greaseproof paper and secure with foil. Steam for about 45 minutes - 1 hour or until they have heated through.

7) Turn out the puddings on to a warm platter and dredge with caster sugar. Heat the brandy in a saucepan and tip the pan towards the hob - the brandy should catch alight.

8) Pour the flaming brandy over the puddings and serve straight away with brandy butter. Accompany with piping-hot creamy custard.

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