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Easy Christmas Pudding

Introduction & method

The traditional Christmas pudding is a heavy, dense thing, and trying to eat a portion just after a massive Christmas main course is just silly. And also, the trad pud has to be steamed for several hours. This cheats recipe for Christmas pudding is based around a jar of mincemeat - it's light, fruity, and cooks in the microwave in about 10 minutes.

 Easy Christmas Pudding Recipe

Make the Batter


Cut the butter into small cubes and melt it in a small saucepan or the microwave. In a large bowl - attached to a stand mixer for an easier life - combine the mincemeat, sugar, butter, orange juice, zest and brandy. In a separate bowl or pudding basin (the one you intend to cook the pudding in, it will need to be 1 litre capacity), mix together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Combine them with the mincemeat mixture. Lightly beat the eggs and add those to the mixture along with the chopped nuts or extra dried fruit. 

Cook the Christmas Pudding


Clean out your pudding basin and grease it with butter. Cut a disc of greaseproof paper and place it in the bottom of the bowl. This basically guarantees the top of the pud won't stick to the bowl. Pour the pudding mixture into the bowl - leave a couple of centimetres (just under an inch) gap at the top because the pudding will rise. Microwave on full power for 8 minutes then check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre. If it comes out wet, cook for a few minutes more. The one I made actually took 12 minutes.

Let the pudding cool for a few minutes before removing from the bowl. Don't forget to peel off the greasproof paper top. Serve with brandy sauce. If you intend to flame the pudding, remember to warm your brandy up first: it's almost impossible to ignite cold brandy.


The video above is from the Keef Cooks YouTube channel. Click here to see the video recipe of Easy Christmas Pudding on YouTube.

 
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Ingredients & Info



 350 grams mincemeat
 120 grams brown sugar
 75 grams butter
 1 orange, juice and zest of
 350 grams self-raising flour
 2 tbsp brandy
 1 tbsp baking powder
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 2 eggs
 120 grams chopped walnuts/almonds OR mixed dried fruit

UNITS:
Metric
US Customary/Imperial

Serves  4 -6
Prep time: 15 minutes.
Cooling time: 5 minutes.
Cooking time: 12 minutes.
Total time: 32 minutes.