Brandied Fig Vanilla Pudding Food

FIGGY PUDDING

Steps:

• For the figgy pudding: Combine the dried figs and raisins with the brandy in a small bowl and let sit 30 minutes to plump the fruit. Strain, then reserve the brandy and fruit separately.
• Meanwhile, grease a 1.6-liter covered pudding pan generously with butter.
• Whisk the eggs together with the milk and sugar in a medium bowl.
• Whisk together the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a separate large bowl.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Stir in the soaked fruit and orange zest. Add the batter to the prepared pan, tapping the pan gently on the counter to settle the batter, and smooth the top.
• Put a metal trivet or aluminum foil ring in the bottom of a large stockpot. Put the pudding pan on the trivet and add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
• For the brown sugar sauce: Meanwhile, combine the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, the bubbles become the size of quarters and the sauce starts to pull away from the side of the saucepan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Keep warm.
• Carefully remove the pudding pan from the pot using oven mitts. Remove the lid and let cool another 15 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around the sides of the pan to release the pudding, then use a skewer to poke about a dozen holes in the cake. Pour the reserved brandy over the top of the cake, then allow it to sit and soak in until the cake cools completely. Invert onto a serving platter and serve immediately with the sauce and whipped cream or store the cake at room temperature wrapped in plastic.

BRANDIED FIGS

Steps:

• Wash figs a few at a time by quickly dipping them in a bowl of cool water. (Do not soak.) Place in a single layer on a kitchen towel; drain. Sprinkle 3/4 cup sugar evenly in a wide nonreactive pot. Top with figs, then sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
• Place pot over low heat, uncovered, and bring figs to a bare simmer. (Tilt pan from side to side or swirl a bit to help sugar dissolve, but do not stir, or fruit may get damaged.) Partially cover and simmer 10 minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 4 hours.
• Repeat step 2 twice; figs should turn translucent in final simmering stage. (If necessary, allow to simmer longer than 10 minutes in final simmer, until they do.)
• Carefully spoon hot figs into hot sterilized canning jars (ideally pint-size or smaller). Bring syrup to a boil, skimming any scum that rises to surface. Turn off heat; stir in brandy. Taste; add more brandy as desired. Pour hot syrup over fruit to cover. Seal and process in a hot-water bath 10 minutes. Figs can be stored in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.

FIG AND RAISIN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Stir together figs, raisins and brandy in a medium bowl; let stand for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Generously butter an 8-cup souffle dish or casserole dish with straight sides. Spread remaining butter onto bread slices. Cut into 1-inch cubes and transfer to prepared dish. Stir together sugar, eggs and egg yolk in a large bowl; whisk in cream, milk, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla. Stir in fruit, then stir mixture into bread cubes; let stand for 5 minutes. Set dish in a large baking pan and add hot water to come 1-inch up the sides of dish. Bake for 1 3/4 hours or until custard is set in the center, tenting with foil if top browns too quickly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

WARM FIG PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup figs, 1/2 cup water, and the brandy; cook 15 minutes. Puree in the bowl of a food processor; set aside.
• Place remaining 1/2 cup figs and the apricots in a small bowl. Cover with hot water, and let soak until fruit is plump. Drain thoroughly, and set aside.
• Butter a 5-cup pudding bowl and a circle of parchment paper several inches larger than bowl, and set both aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in fig puree. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to butter-fig mixture alternately with milk.
• Spoon jam into bottom of pudding bowl. Arrange fruit on bottom and sides of bowl. Pour in batter. Cover bowl with parchment, and secure with a rubber band; cover with aluminum foil. Place a rack in a 10-quart stockpot; put bowl on rack. Pour boiling water into pot to reach halfway up sides of bowl. Cover pot; steam pudding for 2 hours and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove bowl from pot, and let sit, uncovered, for 15 minutes before turning out the pudding onto a serving plate.

BRANDIED FIGS

Steps:

• If preserving the figs, sterilize four 1-pint heat-tempered canning jars (see Know-how, page 291).
• Rinse and drain 2 pounds firm ripe fresh figs and trim the stem ends.
• Place 2 cups sugar, 2 cups brandy, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon whole cloves, a pinch of kosher salt, and the juice of 1 lemon in a large pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to get syrupy.
• Add the figs, reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook for 5 minutes longer.
• For refrigerator figs, pack in airtight containers and refrigerate until ready to serve, or for up to 1 month.
• For preserved figs, pack the hot figs and their syrup in the sterilized jars and seal using the hot-pack method (see Know-how, page 291). Let cool to room temperature, check the seal, and store in a cool, dark place until ready to serve, or for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.
• On the Side
• Brandied figs make a sophisticated topper for everything from vanilla ice cream, to Buttermilk Panna Cotta (page 358), to Granny Foster's Simple Pound Cake (page 314), to Carolina Rice Pudding Brûlée (page 357), to Buttermilk Waffles (page 91).

BRANDIED FIG VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a heavy medium saucepan, then whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently, then boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.
• Divide among 4 (6-to 8-ounces) glasses and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir together preserves, brandy, and lemon juice, then spoon on top of puddings.