Description
A traditional and festive Figgy Christmas Pudding featuring a rich blend of dried figs, mixed vine fruits, grated apples, and warm spices. This classic British dessert is steamed to perfection, resulting in a moist and flavorful pudding that’s perfect for holiday celebrations and can be made ahead for gift-giving.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 250g pack butter, softened, plus extra for the bowls and paper
- 750g dried figs
- 150ml brandy
- 700g mixed sultanas and raisins (Waitrose mixed vine fruits recommended)
- 3 eating apples, peeled, cored and grated
- 175g light muscovado sugar
- 175g dark brown soft sugar
- 200g breadcrumbs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tbsp allspice
Instructions
- Prepare the Bowls: Butter one 500ml, one 1-litre, and one 2-litre pudding bowl thoroughly. Line the base of each bowl with a circle of baking parchment to prevent sticking during steaming.
- Prepare Coverings: Butter three large sheets of greaseproof paper. Lay each buttered sheet on a large sheet of foil, butter side up. Fold a pleat in the middle of each sheet to allow for pudding expansion during steaming.
- Process Figs: Roughly chop 250g of the dried figs and set aside. Put the remaining figs, softened butter, and brandy into a food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth-ish. Scrape this puree into the largest mixing bowl.
- Mix Ingredients: Add the chopped figs, mixed vine fruits, grated apples, light muscovado sugar, dark brown soft sugar, breadcrumbs, self-raising flour, and allspice into the bowl with the fig puree. Stir everything together thoroughly, ideally involving helpers to mix and add wishes for good luck.
- Divide Batter: Evenly divide the pudding mixture among the prepared pudding bowls and smooth the surfaces with a spoon or spatula.
- Cover and Tie: Cover each pudding bowl with the buttered paper and foil sheets prepared earlier. Tie securely with string and trim any excess paper.
- Steam the Puddings: Place each pudding bowl into separate saucepans, placing an upturned saucer or crumpled foil at the bottom of each pan so the pudding doesn’t touch the base. Pour boiling water into each pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the bowls. Cover with lids and simmer gently.
- Cooking Times: Steam the 500ml pudding for 1 to 1½ hours, the 1-litre pudding for 2 to 2½ hours, and the 2-litre pudding for 3 hours. Check water level periodically and top up with boiling water as needed to maintain the water level.
- Cool and Store: Once cooked, carefully remove the puddings from the water and allow them to cool. For gifting, add a fresh piece of parchment on top before wrapping. These puddings can be kept in a cool, dry cupboard for up to one year.
- Reheat for Serving: On the day of serving, reheat the puddings by steaming them again for half the time they originally took to cook until heated through, then serve with your favorite festive accompaniments.
Notes
- Butter the bowls and paper well to prevent sticking.
- Ensure water levels are maintained during steaming to avoid burning or uneven cooking.
- Use good quality dried fruits for best flavor, ideally mixed vine fruits including sultanas and raisins.
- The steaming time varies depending on the size of the pudding; larger puddings require longer steaming.
- Traditional to make the pudding weeks in advance to develop flavors.
- Steaming instead of baking keeps the pudding moist and dense.
- Use brandy or a similar spirit to add moisture and depth of flavor.
- Can be stored in a cool dry cupboard for up to one year; perfect for gifting or making ahead.
- Covering with both greaseproof paper and foil helps maintain moisture during steaming.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 to 3 hours depending on pudding size
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Christmas pudding, Figgy pudding, holiday dessert, steamed pudding, traditional British dessert, festive pudding, fig dessert, dried fruit pudding
