Festive date & pecan pudding
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Festive date & pecan pudding

Not your traditional Christmas pud, but a winner with our food team. A cross between sticky toffee and Christmas pud with a lighter feel

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 25 mins

Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour 300ml boiling water over the chopped dates and set aside. Butter a 1.4-litre pudding basin and put a disc of baking parchment in the base. Put the butter, sugar, flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and eggs into a large bowl, then beat with an electric hand whisk until really well blended. Add the cooled date mixture, then beat again to make a sloppy batter.
  2. Stir in the fruits, nuts and ginger, then pour into the pudding basin and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 1 hr, cover the top lightly with foil, then return to the oven for 25 mins more until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean.
  3. Meanwhile, make the brandy syrup. Put the sugar and 50ml 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 and push a skewer into it in several places. Pour over the brandy syrup so it soaks into the pudding, then cover until ready to serve.
  4. Turn out onto a plate, scatter with the pecans and top with the holly sprig, dusted with icing sugar. Serve with good-quality vanilla ice cream.
Try

Get ahead

The pud will keep in the fridge for 4 days or will freeze for 2 months. To reheat the pudding, cover the basin with cling film, pierce the film a few times, then reheat in the microwave for 5 mins on High. Or, cover the basin with foil and just leave it in the turned-off oven after the turkey has come out. I find the residual heat will warm it perfectly as you eat the main course - you want it warm rather than piping hot.

Per serving

526 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 69g, fat 22 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 3g, sugar 54g, salt 0.73 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2007.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Mimi

    15 December 2007

    Mimi rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely! Christmassy flavour and very light which is very welcome after a big meal. More of a sponge than traditional pudding which I prefer as I'm not keen on lots of dried fruit. Will be our pudding this year!

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  • Binder photo witchesbrew

    27 December 2007

    witchesbrew rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    since finding this in the magazine I have made it several times. It is brilliant. The last time I put it into two smaller pyrex bowls with the hope that it would last longer. I added a mix of candied peel with Angelica.

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  • Binder photo KateWhite

    29 December 2007

    KateWhite rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    everyone loved it

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  • Binder photo shez

    03 February 2008

    shez commented on this recipe

    I made one of these alongside two traditional christmas puds on christmas day and was preferred by almost everyone so will now be using it in future. I used half the stated amount of ginger when I made it on New Years Day and found it preferable. Much easier than steaming a chrimbo pud for hours!

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  • Binder photo Annie

    21 December 2008

    Annie commented on this recipe

    Absolutely brilliant. None of my family are huge Xmas pud fans although we always have it - but we all had two helpings of this one! Usually the birds get the leftovers, but not this time.

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  • Binder photo Sharon

    07 October 2009

    Sharon rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've made this a couple of Christmases and everyone adores it. After my huge Good Food recipe Christmas lunches everyone is feeling a little on the big side, so this lighter version Christmas pud is perfect. I even make them in individual pudding pudding basins, with holly sprigs, to give that extra touch - and I cannot even cook/bake! Going round friends for dinner at the weekend, for a Christmas dinner-type meal and I'm doing dessert, guess what I'm making!

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  • Binder photo Brightspark89

    23 November 2009

    Brightspark89 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Made this 2 years ago as two puds and froze one. We had a different pudding last year so I defrosted it a month ago as I needed room in the freezer and guess what, it was perfect. A lovely light and sticky pudding, went down a treat with some cornish clotted cream. yum yum

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  • Binder photo Fridaygirl

    08 December 2010

    Fridaygirl rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    If you're pondering about making this instead of your usual Christmas pud then hesitate no longer! I had an opportunity to put it to the test last weekend when we had an 'early' Christmas day (for loved ones who can't be with us at Christmas) with full-on Christmas lunch. Everyone gave it 10 out of 10 and said it was the perfect Christmas pudding - still very Christmassy but lighter and lovely and moist. I think someone else has said that it's like Christmas pudding and sticky toffee pudding all rolled into one, and they're right. I'll definitely be making this again in 3 weeks time - and for many years to come. Incidentally, it keeps really well so don't hestitate to make it a few days ahead. I made mine on Monday, it's Wednesday today - and I've just enjoyed a slice of the leftovers (there were only five of us for the lunch) with a cup of tea - loverly!

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  • Binder photo maggieb

    27 December 2010

    maggieb rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really delicious pudding - tastes very Christmassy but much lighter in density and non-cloying that traditional puddings often are. I made and froze it - and then defrosted overnight and put in microwave as suggested - stabbed and fed it with the brandy syrup - and then left it in warm oven until needed - it turned out beautifully.

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  • Binder photo ellen

    29 November 2011

    ellen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Third year I plan to make this! It is a winner and I think it will be a family favourite for years to come!

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  • Binder photo Benminx

    07 January 2012

    Benminx rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Nicely flavoured and light (therefore easier to eat) but it didn't quite have the wow factor I was hoping for. Nevertheless it made a nicer alternative and neither of us felt that stuffed bloated feeling you often get after a traditional rich Christmas Pudding. Needs a little 'zing' - maybe a touch more brandy than I added? Cautiously recommended.

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  • Binder photo Clancarr

    16 January 2012

    Clancarr rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I have been making this recipe for the last five years at Christmas. It is so easy I even make them as gifts for busy working friends. It always goes down a treat and I often get asked for the recipe. You would be surprised how many people I talk to who don't like traditional puddings but when I tell them about this one and give them the recipe, they are converted.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 25 mins

Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

New way with Christmas pud

Ingredients

  • 250g block dried, stoned dates , chopped
  • 125g butter , at room temperature
  • 85g light muscovado sugar
  • 140g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 50g raisins
  • 50g chopped candied peel
  • 85g pecans , chopped
  • 2 pieces stem ginger , cut into thin shreds

FOR THE BRANDY SYRUP

  • 85g light muscovado sugar
  • 150ml brandy

TO SERVE

  • 25g toasted pecans , chopped
  • 1 holly sprig
  • icing sugar , for dusting
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Per serving

526 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 69g, fat 22 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 3g, sugar 54g, salt 0.73 g

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