Amaretti Christmas pudding recipe

  • Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus standing
  • Cooking time: 3 hours, plus reheating
  • Total time: 3 hours 25 minutes, plus standing and reheating 60 minutes60 minutes60 minutes25 minutes
  • Serves:12

    Ingredients

    175g amaretti biscuits
    250g stoned soft dates, chopped
    250g dried soft figs, chopped
    750g mixed dried fruit
    75g dark brown muscovado sugar
    75g breadcrumbs
    2 medium eggs, beaten
    50g firm slightly salted butter
    200ml strong ale
    Caster sugar, to sprinkle

    Method

    1. Grease a 1.7-litre pudding basin (see Cook’s tip) and line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper. Put the amaretti biscuits in a polythene bag and crush with a rolling pin until fairly finely ground. Tip into a large bowl. Add the dates, figs, mixed dried fruit, sugar, breadcrumbs and beaten egg and mix well.

    2. Grate the butter into the bowl, mixing it in frequently as you grate, so the butter doesn’t lump together. Add the ale. Give the ingredients a good stir, then cover and leave to stand in the fridge for a couple of hours.

    3. Pack the mixture into the basin. Cover with a large circle of greaseproof paper, securing it under the rim with string. Cover the greaseproof with foil, tucking it firmly over the paper to create a moisture-proof lid.

    4. Place an upturned saucer or piece of crumpled foil in the base of a large saucepan and rest the basin on top. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the basin. Cover with a lid and steam gently.

    Cook’s tip

    Instead of using one large pudding basin, divide the mixture between two smaller basins totalling about 1.7litres in capacity and keep one pudding for another time. Reduce the initial steaming time to 3 hours.

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