English Pudding With Cranberries Figs And Brown Sugar Hard Sauce Food

CRANBERRY PUDDING

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in cranberries. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine sugar, flour and salt in a saucepan. Add water and stir until smooth. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool slightly; serve over warm pudding. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

ENGLISH PUDDING WITH CRANBERRIES, FIGS AND BROWN SUGAR HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Generously butter 2 1/2-quart charlotte mold, pudding mold or thick heatproof glass bowl. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, cloves and nutmeg into large mixing bowl. Add all dried fruit and toss to coat. Mix in crumbs. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, butter, maple syrup, liqueur, rum, grated tangerine peel and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until well combined (batter will be thick).
• Spoon batter into prepared mold. Smooth top. Cover mold tightly with double thickness of foil. Place rack in large pot. Set pudding on rack. Pour enough hot water into pot to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pot. Bring water to simmer over medium-low heat. Steam pudding until wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, adding more boiling water to pot as necessary, about 5 hours.
• Transfer mold to cooling rack; uncover and cool 30 minutes. (Can be made up to 2 months ahead. Remove pudding from mold; cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate. To reheat pudding, unwrap and return to buttered mold; cover. Place mold on rack in large pot. Pour enough hot water into pot to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pot; steam pudding over medium-low heat until heated through, about 1 hour. Transfer to cooling rack. Let stand 30 minutes.)
• Turn warm pudding out onto platter. Garnish with tangerine peel twists and fresh cranberries, if desired. Serve with Brown Sugar Hard Sauce.

ENGLISH PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix fruits and dry ingredients first. Then mix with lightly beaten eggs and liquids. Grease the bottom of a bowl large enough to hold pudding and press mixture into it. Place waxed paper over the top and then foil over that, crimping it around the edges to keep firm. Either steam for 2 hours in pressure cooker with about 2 inches water or put in pan with water on the stove and steam for 4 hours. Keep checking water in pan to prevent burning. Store well wrapped for 3 to 4 months.
• To make the brandy cream, add butter, sugar and brandy in a stand mixer and mix on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Steam for 1 hour before serving, then release the pudding mold into the center of a plate. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar. Warm 1/4 cup of cognac in a small pot. Cup the cognac in a large basting spoon until it flames, then pour the cognac over the pudding. Top with a dollop of the brandy cream. Slice and serve.

STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING

Steps:

• Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar and molasses, then mix in the cranberries and flour. Pour into a greased 6 cup steamer mold.
• Cover the mold, and place into a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover the steaming pot. Cook over medium heat for one hour before checking, but it will take about 1 1/2 hours total. A toothpick inserted into the pudding should come out clean. Loosen the edges, and cool on a wire rack in the mold.
• Make the hard sauce just before serving: Heat the unsalted butter, cream, 1 cup sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook stirring constantly until heated through and smooth.