Desserts & Baking

Christmas Pudding

￿6-8

Ingredients

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1 orange, juice and grated rind of

400g (14oz) mixed dried fruit

45 ml (3tbsp) brandy

15 ml (1tbsp) black treacle

50g (2oz) self-raising flour pinch of salt

15 ml (1tbsp) cocoa

5 ml (1tsp) mixed spice

3ml (½ tsp) nutmeg 100g (4oz) shredded suet 150g (5oz) fresh breadcrumbs 50g (2oz) mixed peel

50g (2oz) flaked almonds

2 eggs, beaten

Serves 6-8

Dish: 1.3 litre (2 ½ pt) pudding basin lightly greased

Place carrot in a large bowl. Place on base of oven and cook on HIGH MICROWAVE for 5 mins. Beat well to make a thick puree. Stir in juice, rind and mixed fruit. Cook on HIGH MICROWAVE for 2 mins. Stir in brandy and treacle. Stand for 5 mins. Beat in rest of ingredients. Press into the pudding basin. Cover, place on base of oven and cook on MEDIUM MICROWAVE for 5 mins. Stand for 5 mins. Cook on MEDIUM MICROWAVE for another 3 mins. or until just firm.

NOTE. One of the advantages of using your MICROWAVE to make this traditional pudding is that it can be made the week before Christmas and stored in a cool dry place. Do not attempt to make the pudding earlier than this, since the flavour will not improve with keeping, unlike a traditionally steamed pudding.

Pears poached in Cider

￿4

Ingredients

225ml sweet cider

50g 2oz caster sugar Rind and juice of 1 lemon Pinch of ground nutmeg

4 firm pears (eg conference) peeled with stalks in tact

Serves 4

Dish: 7”17.5cm soufflé dish

Put the cider, sugar, lemon rind and juice and nutmeg into the soufflé dish and cook on HIGH MICROWAVE for 2mins to dissolve the sugar. Lay the pears in the cider mixture. Cover the dish with pierced clingfilm and cook on HIGH MICROWAVE in 3 minute stages for a total of 15 mins. Turn regularly. Remove clingfilm and pears. Cook remaining liquid on HIGH MICROWAVE until it reduces and becomes syrupy. This will take about 12 mins. Serve pears with syrup and ice-cream or Chantilly cream.

142

Page 144
Image 144
Panasonic NN-CF768M Christmas Pudding, Pears poached in Cider, Serves Dish 1.3 litre 2 ½ pt pudding basin lightly greased