Christmas Pudding With Brandy Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the dates in a bowl, pour over 250ml boiling water and set aside. Butter a 1.5-litre pudding basin and put a disc of baking parchment in the base.
• Put the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs in a large bowl, then beat with an electric hand whisk until well blended. Add the cooled date mix and beat again to make a sloppy batter
• Stir in the fruits, pecans and ginger, then pour into the pudding basin and cover the basin with pleated baking paper and foil (see tips, below). Put the basin in a roasting tin half-filled with boiling water, then steam in the oven for 3 hrs until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, make the brandy syrup. Put the sugar and 75ml water in a pan and stir over the heat until syrupy. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat. When the pudding is ready, remove from the oven, take off the foil and paper, and push a skewer into the centre - it should come out clean. Pour over the brandy syrup so it soaks into the pudding, then cover until ready to serve. Will keep in the fridge for a week.
• To serve, warm the pudding in the turned-off oven once you have taken out the potatoes, or microwave on High, covered with cling film, for 5 mins. Warm the butterscotch sauce (see related recipes) in a pan or in the microwave on Medium for 2 mins. Turn out the pudding onto a plate, pour over some of the sauce and serve the rest in a jug. Top with the holly sprig and serve with good-quality vanilla ice cream

Steps:

• 1) Place all dry ingredients, dried fruit, almonds, apple and citrus zest in a large bowl and stir well. Combine eggs, Guinness and 2 TB brandy in a separate bowl and whisk together. Pour into the mixing bowl and fold in until well combined - it should now have a dropping consistency, but add a little more stout if necessary. Cover and leave overnight to allow the flavours to mingle and the mixture to thicken. 2) Next day, butter a 2 pint pudding basin. Use the basin to trace and cut out two circles of parchment - one the size of the bottom and one the size of the top. Line the bottom with the small circle of paper. Fill the basin with the mixture to about ½ inch from the top and pat down with a wooden spoon. Cover the pudding with the larger circle of parchment, so it is sitting on the mixture. Lay a sheet of foil over the top, doming it slightly to allow the pudding to swell. Tie a piece of string around the bowl, under the rim, to secure the foil in place. 3) Place a pastry cutter or muffin ring in the base of a large pan, and set the pudding on the ring in the bottom of the pan (this ensures the bowl does not crack). Add boiling water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer steadily for 8 hours, adding more boiling water from time to time, as needed. 4) carefully remove the bowl from the pan and cool. 5) When the pudding is cold, wrap in foil and store in a cool, dark place. 6) Before serving, steam the pudding once again for 2 hours. Turn out on to dish and stick a sprig of holly in the centre. Warm brandy, light, and pour it over the pudding. 7) For the hard sauce, Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until pale and smooth. Add the 10X sugar and beat. Add the brandy gradually, to taste, and stir well.cover and store in the fridge until needed. Serve very cold, with the Christmas pudding.