Figgy Pudding
‘Now bring us some figgy pudding’
In one of the more demanding of Christmas carols, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” we have the very traditional English dessert. In the traditional recipe, a figgy pudding is made with suet, but because this is America, the ingredient is hard to find for baking (but you can find the birdseed). So here is a way to make it, sans suet.
Ingredients
16 ounces dried figs
1 ¾ cups milk
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
½ cup melted butter (cooled to room temperature)
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
½ tbsp orange zest
½ tbsp lemon zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and figs on medium-low heat, don’t let it boil, for 10-15 minutes. Then put the mix in a food processor or blender and blitz until figs are well chopped.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
Using a stand mixer with a large bowl, beat eggs for one minute on high. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter, bread crumbs, orange and lemon zest and warm fig mix.
Slowly add the flour mixture until just blended.
In a greased bundt or angel food pan (wrap it with foil to avoid getting water in the pudding), add the mix. Cover the pan with greased foil and place in a roasting pan in the oven. Then add hot water to the roasting pan until about 2 inches deep.
Bake for 2-2 ½ hours until the pudding pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let it cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes then invert it on a plate to remove it from the pan.
Serve with hard sauce or drizzle a powdered sugar glaze over the top when cool and serve.
Thanks for that recipe.
I just took the lazy way out (for this) and ordered it from Fortnam & Mason. It comes in its own little dish, for baking.
We’ll try it at Christmas.
I bet scratch made is much better than the one made and shipped from across the pond.
Thanks CB!