Christmas Figgy Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Butter a 500ml, a 1-litre and a 2-litre pudding bowl, then line the base of each with a circle of baking parchment. Butter 3 large sheets of greaseproof paper, lay each on a large sheet of foil butter side up, and fold a pleat in the middle of each.
• Roughly chop 250g of the figs and set aside. Put the remaining figs, butter and brandy into a food processor and whizz until smooth-ish, then scrape into your largest mixing bowl. Tip in the chopped figs, mixed vine fruits, grated apple, sugars, breadcrumbs, flour and allspice. Stir everything together, allowing as many helpers to give a stir and adding as many wishes as you like. Divide between the pudding bowls and smooth the surfaces.
• Cover the puds with the buttered paper-foil sheets, tie with string and trim. Lower the puds into separate saucepans with upturned saucers or scrunched up bits of foil in the bottom (so the puds don't touch the bottom), then fill each pan with enough boiling water from the kettle to come halfway up the sides of the bowl. Cover with a lid and simmer the small pud for 1-1½ hrs, medium for 2-2½ hrs and large for 3 hrs, topping up the water as needed. Remove and leave to cool. If giving as a gift, put a new piece of parchment on top. Will keep in a cool, dry cupboard for up to a year.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a a medium saucepan, heat milk and chopped figs over medium-low heat but do NOT bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. The the milk will soften the figs.
• In a medium bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs one minute on high. Reduce speed to low and add butter, bread crumbs, orange peel, and warm fig mixture.
• Slowly incorporate flour mixture. Beat until just blended.
• Pour the mix into the greased bundt pan. Level top as much as possible. Cover the mold with a piece of aluminum foil greased on one side, greased side down.
• Place the mold in a roasting pan and place on oven rack. fIll with hot tap water 2 inches up the side of the mold. Bake for 2 hours or until the pudding is firm and it is pulling away from the side of the bundt pan.
• Remove the pudding from the water bath. Remove the foil and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before unmolding. Invert bundt pan onto a serving plate and remove mold. It should come away easily.
• Serve with a hard sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 11-cup Bundt pan.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Continue cooking until the butter turns golden brown, then transfer to a heatproof container and refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.
• In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water and brandy over the figs and soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup of the figs, and set aside. Place the remaining figs and the soaking liquid in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the chilled brown butter with the sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix until combined. Add the fig puree, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and beat on low speed until smooth. Stir in the chopped figs. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, then cover tightly with foil and secure with a rubber band.
• Place the Bunt pan in a 12-by-17-inch deep roasting pan and set on the bottom rack of the oven. Pour 2 inches of boiling water around Bundt pan, then cover entire roasting pan with foil. Bake until the pudding is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Cool the pudding for 10 minutes, then invert the Bundt pan over a plate to unmold the pudding. Sprinkle the pudding with confectioners' sugar and cut into slices to serve.

Steps:

• Gently heat buttermilk and figs in a saucepan over medium-low heat until softened, 10 to 15 minutes; set aside until cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a tube pan.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on high for 1 minute. Add fig-and-buttermilk mixture, bread crumbs, butter, almonds, orange marmalade, orange zest, and orange-vanilla flavoring to the beaten eggs; beat on low speed until blended. Gradually add flour mixture while beating until just incorporated into a batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Grease a sheet of aluminum foil; use to cover pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until firm and pulling away from sides of the pan, about 2 hours. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Steps:

• Place the dates, dried figs and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over moderate heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Let cool for about 15 minutes, before adding to a blender and pureeing until smooth.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl, until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Fold in the flour and the pureed fig mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into a greased 6-qt glass heat-proof bowl with butter or baking spray.
• Insert a metal trivet into the Instant Pot and pour in the remaining 1 ½ cups water. Place the bowl with the batter into the Instant Pot and lock the lid in place, making sure the valve is set to seal. Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes, allowing to natural release for 10 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
• Carefully open the lid and transfer the pudding bowl to a wire rack to cool. Remove the metal trivet and discard the water. Wipe the inner bowl dry and set to sauté. Once hot, add the brown sugar, cream and butter. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes. Turn the machine off and stir in the vanilla, bourbon (if using) and salt.
• Invert the figgy pudding bowl onto a platter and slice. Serve with the warm sauce and a dollop of cream.