Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas Pudding
Christmas is time where we tend to overindulge and no matter how much we try to avoid it, it happens! Why not ease the load a little on the body by trying this Gluten & Dairy Free Christmas Pudding recipe; use Organic produce as much as possible to keep that chemical load down and make it as healthy as you can get!
Makes 2 small puddings. The pudding can be made up to three months ahead and kept refrigerated or made up to one year ahead and frozen. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator for up to 2 days; remove plastic wrap, return to steamer and steam for 2 hours.
What you’ll need:
1 1/3 cup (225g) raisins
1 ½ cups (240g) sultanas
1 ½ cups (225g) currants
1/3 cup (55g) mixed peel
1/3 cup (55g) coarsely chopped dates
¼ cup (50g) coarsely chopped glace cherries
1 small (130g) apple, peeled, grated2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
¼ cup (60ml) brandy
2 tablespoons orange juice
125g Nutelex, softened (Dairy Free Margerine)
1¼ cups (250g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
4 eggs
½ cup cooked mashed pumpkin
3 cups (320g) gluten-free stale breadcrumbs (not dry)
1 teaspoon QUEEN vanilla essence
1/3 cup (50g) cornflour (100% corn or maize)
1 tablespoon milk powder
1/3 cup (50g) rice flour
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
½ teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
What to do:
Place fruit, rind, brandy and juice in a large bowl; cover; stand overnight.
Beat butter, sugar and golden syrup in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until combined; add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Stir in pumpkin, breadcrumbs, vanilla and sifted dry ingredients until combined.
Grease two 5-cup capacity pudding steamers. Divide mixture evenly between pudding steamers. Top with pleated baking paper and double thickness of foil; secure with kitchen string or lid.
Place puddings in two large boilers with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of steamers. Cover boilers with tight fitting lids; boil for 5 hours. Replenish with boiling water as required. Stand puddings for 15 minutes before turning out.
Serve puddings with Dairy Free custard or ice cream, if desired.
Source: Womens Weekly Online – http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/food/cookbooks/782643/gluten-free-christmas-pudding
