Gluten-Free Christmas Pudding
This extra fruity Christmas pudding recipe looks and tastes even better. It is too tempting to resist and is a classic dessert recipe at Christmas time. Decorated with fresh cranberries, this impressive pud can be a family favourite this Christmas
Gluten-Free Christmas Pudding
Ingredients
- 200 g each raisins and sultanas
- 200 g each dried apricots and pitted prunes or figs
- Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
- 1 eating apple
- 1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 rounded tsp mixed spice or mixture of ground nutmeg, allspice and ground cloves
- 3 rounded tbsp good marmalade or use honey for a sweeter pud
- 6 tbsp Oloroso sherry
- 5 tbsp brandy
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 50 g flaked almonds
- 100 g ground almonds
- 125 g fresh white or brown breadcrumbs or crumbs made from gluten-free bread (we used Genius white)
To serve
- A few fresh or frozen cranberries
- Bay leaves brushed with gold lustre, optional
- Posh cream see recipe
- 1.2 litre pudding basin buttered, small disc of greaseproof in base, plus Bakewell paper, foil and string
Instructions
- Put the raisins and sultanas in a large bowl. Use scissors to snip the apricots and prunes into small pieces, straight into the bowl. Add the orange zest and juice. Use the coarse side of a grater to grate the unpeeled apple straight in, working around the core. Stir in the spices, marmalade (or honey), sherry and brandy. Mix well, cover and leave overnight in a cool place (not the fridge), if you have time.
- Stir in the butter, eggs, flaked and ground almonds and breadcrumbs. Spoon the mixture into the basin, pressing it down well. Cover with a piece of pleated paper, then pleated foil. Secure with string and make a string handle, if you want.
- Cook in a steamer, with a tight-fitting lid, over boiling water for 5-6 hrs, checking and topping up the water every hour, so it doesn’t boil dry. Take the basin out and leave it to cool completely. Take off the paper
- and foil and replace with cling film and foil. Store in a cool place for up to 3 mths.
- To reheat: Take off the foil and cling film. Replace the cling film with a sheet of Bakewell and put the foil back on. Steam, as above, for 2 hrs. Leave to cool down for 20-30 mins, then turn out and serve with a few cranberries on top, and bay leaves, too, if liked, and…
- To make the posh cream: Lightly whip 300ml double cream with 1 tbsp icing sugar and 1-2 tbsp Calvados or your favourite tipple. Or whisk 1 tbsp icing sugar with 2 tsp orange flower water, then whisk in 300ml cream to soft peaks. Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
You can save cooking time by using a pressure cooker - check its instructions for exact timings.
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