Name: Festive date & pecan pudding
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 250g block dried, stoned date 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 raisin; 50g chopped candied peel; 85g pecan chopped; 2 pieces stem ginger cut into thin shreds; 85g light muscovado sugar; 150ml brandy; 25g toasted pecan chopped; 1 holly sprig; icing sugar for dusting

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Festive date & pecan pudding

Festive date & pecan pudding

Sara Buenfeld

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Serves 8

Easy

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 1 hr and 25 mins

A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.20 ratingsRate

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

Freezable

Vegetarian

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Rich nutmeg ice cream

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.4 ratings

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

250g block dried, stoned date

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 raisin
50g chopped candied peel
85g pecan

chopped
2 pieces stem ginger

cut into thin shreds

For the brandy syrup

85g light muscovado sugar
150ml brandy

To serve

25g toasted pecan

chopped
1 holly

sprig
icing sugar

for dusting

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal526
fat22g
saturates9g
carbs69g
sugars54g
fibre3g
protein6g
salt0.73g

low

Method

step 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.
step 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.
step 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.
step 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.

RECIPE TIPS

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.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2007

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A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.20 ratings

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