On Christmas Eve, a Christmas cake is often baked in British homes. Although the British call it Christmas Pudding, it has nothing to do with the baked sweet milk-based dessert. Rather, it is a juicy biscuit filled with dried fruit and dipped in an alcoholic beverage such as whiskey.
You don't have to be in the UK to taste this dessert. With a little willpower and patience, you can prepare it in your own home. For the cake to have a delicious taste, the fruit must be soaked in alcohol at least the evening before cooking.
Materials:
700 grams of dried fruit (raisins, figs, apricots, cranberries, etc.)
220 grams of muscovado sugar
220 grams of butter
150 ml whiskey
110 grams of flour
110 grams of breadcrumbs
100 ml orange juice
4 eggs
1 and ½ teaspoons of baking powder
1 large orange
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of coconut
a pinch of salt
Preparation:
The evening before preparing the cake: Chop the fruit roughly into identical pieces, then mix with whiskey and orange juice. Add some grated orange peel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. If you are not a fan of whiskey, you can also use brandy or even rum.
Using a mixer, whisk the sugar and butter until a smooth mixture is obtained. Beat the eggs and gently mix into the butter mixture.
Add the fruit and the remaining liquid when marinated. Stir well.
Add the flour mixed with the baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Add excess liquid from the mix, "drink" breadcrumbs and all other seasonings.
Transfer the prepared mixture to a round refractory plate that you greased before. Press the contents well, then cover with aluminum foil and secure with twine.
Put a fire-proof plate with Christmas pudding in a large pot. Pour heated water about half the way through the pan, then put everything together and place on the stove.
When the water boils, reduce the temperature to the lowest level and allow the pudding to heat for about four hours. Add hot water to the pot occasionally and as needed so that it never evaporates completely.
Carefully remove the bowl from the pot - it will be very hot - and cool the pudding well before serving. Enjoy your meal!