Ingredients

65 g Bakers' Magic Grain free flour

62 g Cocoa butter#

70 g Honey

20 g Almond meal

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Mixed spice

1/4 tsp All spice

smidge of nutmeg

Zest of a lemon & orange

1 Egg (see below for egg free)

75 g Sultanas*

30 g Currants*

75 g Raisins*

75 g Dates*

50 g Cranberries*

15 g Slivered almonds

75 g Grated apple (~1 large or 1 1/2 small)

75 - 125 g Cointreau (depending on how boozy you like your pudding)

0 - 50 g Water (if using 125 g of Cointreau don't add any water)

* substitute dried fruit depending on your & your family's preferences.

 

# Cocoa butter can be substituted with another fat/oil, preferably something that is solid/soft at room temperature. As suet used to be used in a lot of puddings I have used cocoa butter as it has a similar profile to suet (refer to Comparison of fats & oils).Cocoa butter can be obtained prepackaged from gourmet food stores (eg Essential ingredient) or by weight from The Source Bulk Foods. If using another fat/oil adjust the salt level accordingly. 

Egg substitution - To 5 g golden flaxseed add 37 g of boiling water & let it sit for ~5 mins. Whiz the flaxseed with a stab blender until the mixture is gluey. Use all of this mixture as a substitution for the egg. 

Method

Grease a 1 litre pudding basin. I prefer using one with a lid.

In a large mixing bowl combine together the Bakers' Magic Grain free flour , ground almonds, salt & spices. When mixed it will look like fine breadcrumbs.

Mix in the dried fruit.

Melt the cocoa butter & transfer to another mixing bowl.

Add in the Cointreau  & eggs (or egg substitute) & whisk with a fork until the mixture is uniform. The egg & egg substitute will emulsify the fat (butter etc.) with the Cointreau.

Peel & grate the apple. Stir the grated apple into the Cointreau/egg mix.

Pour the Cointreau/apple mix over the mixed dry ingredients & stir gently to combine. Let the pudding mix rest for ~10 mins - the mixture will thicken.

Transfer the mix to the pudding basin. Either put the lid on or make a lid with baking paper & foil. Get a piece of baking paper and lay some foil over it. Fold them in half together. Take the top layer as if to unfold it but leave ~3 cm in the middle, essentially it is a pleat. Cover the basin with the layered paper and foil & secure it with unwaxed kitchen string. Trim the excess foil and paper - ensure the paper around the pudding does not come in contact with the water, or it may seep into the pudding.

Cooking the Pud

This pudding will take approximately 6 - 8 hours to cook. I found the easiest way to cook it was overnight in my slow cooker set on low. Of course when you are going to eat the pud will depend on when you put it on. The pudding can be made ahead of time (stored in the fridge or freezer) & reheated.

If I was going to make this pudding to eat at lunchtime I would prepare the dry ingredients the night before. I would (probably) get up at 7 am, boil water for the slow cooker & turn on the slow cooker to high. I would then finish making the pudding & get it on cooking asap.   

Slow Cooker - Put a trivet or silicon mat on the bottom of the slow cooker put the pudding basin on top. Add enough water to come up to at least 3/4 of the way on the side of the basin. Put the lid on & turn the slow cooker on to low. Allow to cook for 6 - 8 hours. I usually put the pudding in at 10.30 pm & take it off at ~7 ish the next morning.

Alternatively fill the slow cooker with hot water & put the pudding basin in. Turn the slow cooker on to high & cook the pudding for ~ 5 - 6 hours.    

On the stove top - Have enough water in a large pot to come up to at least 3/4 of the way on the side of the basin. Either suspend the pudding basin to sit in the water or have a trivet underneath the pudding basin. Heat the water in the pot so that it is just simmering & keep it simmering while the pudding is cooking. Put a lid on the pot to slow down water loss. When required add more boiling water to the pot. Let the pudding cook for ~6 - 8 hours. My pudding basin has a metal lid so I tend to check the pudding at ~6 hours to see if it is cooked.