What is Christmas without the traditional Christmas pudding? This Christmas tradition has been passed down from generation to generation and what used to be a prepacked imported Christmas goodie, can now be made at home. And what is more interesting, is that you can tweak the recipe to make it your own. Today I propose a Christmas pudding with some nice Creole flavours. I will add some desiccated coconuts and chopped pineapples to the mix. Do not be afraid to experiment.

Christmas pudding is a dish which requires ample preparation time. So if you want a nice pudding for Christmas, you can start with soaking your currants and raisins today. You will require at least two days for other preparatory work. So plan ahead.

Ingredients

– 500g dried fruits soaked in dark Rum – This can be done weeks in advance. Soak your raisins and currants in dark rum, seal container and continuously ensure that there is enough rum to cover the fruits. This can be left at room temperature.

– 300g sugar

– Cherries and pineapples chopped

– Plain flour – small cup (around 150g)

– Butter 130g

– Small cup of Guinness

– Ground almond – small cup

– Desiccated coconut – small cup

– Breadcrumbs – small cup

– Ground nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

– 4 eggs, pinch of salt

Method

Add your rum mixture with sugar, and Guinness and leave for a day. Then mix dry ingredients with butter, eggs and fruit mixture including soaking liquid. Mix well, adding cherries and pineapples to the mix. Add a few pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon and salt to taste, mix again and cover with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight.

Grease cake mold, place grease proof paper at the bottom of the container and on the side of the cake pan. You can also use cooking spray to grease container. Pour mixture into container and bake in preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius until cake rises and the stick comes out clean. This should take around 2 hours.

If you decide to steam your pudding instead of bake put your pan in a bain maré. Just ensure that the top of the cake mold is sealed with parchment paper and foil. Your container then sits in a bowl of steaming water for 4 to 5 hours, ensuring that the water does not run dry along the way.

Once cooked, set aside to cool. Decorate and enjoy as you wish. Pudding can be stored in the fridge or freezer for a very long time. Just ensure proper storage. This is a dish that can be prepared well ahead of Christmas. Enjoy!

Source: Seychelles Nation