Figgy Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• For the figgy pudding: Combine the dried figs and raisins with the brandy in a small bowl and let sit 30 minutes to plump the fruit. Strain, then reserve the brandy and fruit separately.
• Meanwhile, grease a 1.6-liter covered pudding pan generously with butter.
• Whisk the eggs together with the milk and sugar in a medium bowl.
• Whisk together the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a separate large bowl.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Stir in the soaked fruit and orange zest. Add the batter to the prepared pan, tapping the pan gently on the counter to settle the batter, and smooth the top.
• Put a metal trivet or aluminum foil ring in the bottom of a large stockpot. Put the pudding pan on the trivet and add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
• For the brown sugar sauce: Meanwhile, combine the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, the bubbles become the size of quarters and the sauce starts to pull away from the side of the saucepan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Keep warm.
• Carefully remove the pudding pan from the pot using oven mitts. Remove the lid and let cool another 15 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around the sides of the pan to release the pudding, then use a skewer to poke about a dozen holes in the cake. Pour the reserved brandy over the top of the cake, then allow it to sit and soak in until the cake cools completely. Invert onto a serving platter and serve immediately with the sauce and whipped cream or store the cake at room temperature wrapped in plastic.

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:

• Soak the bread crumbs in water for a few minutes. Squeeze out the water.
• Combine the crumbs, raisins, sugar & spices, mix with a fork.
• Pour hot water over the soda.
• To the crumb mixture add molasses, melted butter & soda.
• Add flour & mix well.
• Pour into a cleaned, greased tomato can, cover with foil and secure with an elastic band, place can into a large pot of boiling water that comes 3/4 way up the can. Steam for 1 1/2 hours until the pudding looks firm.

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:

• 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:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and spices. Beat eggs in large bowl with mixer 1 min. or until blended. Add milk, butter, dried fruits, bread crumbs, orange zest and 1/2 cup sour cream; mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing after each addition just until blended.
• Pour into greased 12-cup fluted tube pan. Place tube pan in roasting pan before placing in oven. Add enough hot water to depth 2 inches up side of tube pan. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; place, sprayed side down, over tube pan.
• Bake 2 hours or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Transfer tube pan from roasting pan to wire rack; cool pudding 10 min. Meanwhile, gently stir brandy and remaining sour cream into COOL WHIP.
• Invert pudding onto cake plate; gently remove pan. Serve slices of warm pudding topped with COOL WHIP mixture.