This festive steamed pudding features a rich blend of dried figs and other fruits, infused with the distinct aroma of Earl Grey tea, creating a sophisticated twist on a classic
| Created by | Spinneys |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 300 minutes |
| Serves | 8-10 |
| Cuisine | British |
| Special Occasion | Christmas |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Preparation | Hard |
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
Download PDFGrease a 2L bowl or pudding basin and line the base with a small round of baking paper. Make sure you have a pot large enough to fit the bowl.
Place the Earl Grey tea bags in a jug and pour 240ml of boiling water over them. Let them steep for 5 minutes, then remove the tea bags and allow the tea to cool slightly.
In a very large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice and muscovado sugar. Grate the apple over the dry ingredients and add the suet and breadcrumbs. Toss everything together.
Zest and juice the orange and lemon. Chop the figs, apricots, prunes and almonds. Add them to the bowl along with the remaining dried fruits and citrus zest and juice. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
In a separate jug, melt the butter and combine with cooled tea, molasses and eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until fully incorporated and the batter is thick. Spoon the batter into the pudding basin and use slightly damp hands to press it down gently, levelling the surface.
Cover the pudding with a round of baking paper, then add two lightly scrunched pieces of baking paper stacked over the top, followed by two layers of doubled foil to create a tight seal. Secure the paper and foil with a long, thick piece of kitchen twine, wrapping it under the lip of the basin.
Place a small upturned saucer in the base of a large stockpot and place the pudding on top. Fill the pot with boiling water three-quarters of the way up the side. Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the pudding gently simmer, covered, for 5 hours. Top up with boiling water as needed while steaming
Once cooked, carefully remove the pudding from the pot and let it stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Invert the pudding onto a serving plate and serve warm with the custard.
