Mix Match Mini Christmas Puddings Food

MINI CHRISTMAS STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• Place the mixed fruit, dates, brandy and orange juice into a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the liquid starts to simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 2 minutes, or until the fruit has softened.
• Place the fruit mixture into a bowl and cover. Set aside for 30-60 minutes to cool and for the fruit to soak in the flavours.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C (350 F). Grease 8 x 3/4 cup capacity pudding moulds (or ramekins) and line the base with baking paper.
• Beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Add the mixed spice, orange zest, flour and baking powder and stir until combined.
• Add the mixed fruit mixture and stir until combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 8 pudding moulds. They should be about 3/4 full. If you have lids, add the lids to the pudding moulds. Otherwise, tightly cover the puddings with foil and tie the foil to the mould firmly with string.
• Place the puddings into a large baking dish with sides. Carefully pour boiling water into the dish to surround the puddings. The water should go at least halfway up the pudding moulds.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the puddings are cooked through. You can test a pudding by carefully pressing the centre. If it feels firm and spongey (remove the foil from one pudding to test this, if necessary), the puddings are ready.
• Carefully remove the puddings from the moulds and serve hot with cream, custard or ice cream. Enjoy!

MIX & MATCH MINI CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Mix together all the base ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Grease 8 individual pudding basins or darioles with a little butter, then line the bases with circles of baking parchment.
• Stir your choice of dried fruits, spices and liquid, plus nuts if you are using, into the base mixture. If you're tailoring your puddings for each guest, then weigh out 225g/8oz base mixture per pud, before adding the extras (see brackets after ingredients for individual pud quantities).
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4 and boil the kettle. Fill each basin or dariole with pud mixture. Grease a large sheet of foil, then stick a large sheet of baking parchment on top. Cut it into 8 squares, large enough to cover the puds with overhang, and make a small pleat in each. Cover the puddings by scrunching foil round the edges to completely seal. stick a name label, written in biro, on top of each pud to help identify them when serving. sit the puds in a big roasting tin, pour hot water from the kettle into the tin until nearly halfway up the puds, then cook for 1 hr. Cool, then store in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark, for up to 2 weeks.
• To serve, turn oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 5 after the Christmas dinner has come out, and put the puds back into a roasting tin with hot water, as above. Cook for 40 mins, then turn off oven and leave them there if you're still eating. Carefully turn out onto serving plates, running a knife round the edge to help release, then dust with a little icing sugar and top with holly, if you like.

MINI CHRISTMAS PUDDING TREATS

Steps:

• Crumble the fruitcake with your hands into a mixing bowl.
• Stir in the brandy and mix thoroughly. Add enough of the brandy (or substitute) so that the mixture will easily roll into walnut sized balls. Roll into balls using your hands.
• Place the rolled balls onto a lined baking tray.
• Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the balls to represent the custard. Use a teaspoon and let the chocolate run down the sides of the little puddings.
• Chop the snake lollies using scissors into small slices. Add two green and one red piece to the top of the puddings. Position the lolly pieces lose together, these become the holly atop of the puddings.
• Refrigerate until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.