Prune Pudding Food

PRUNE PUDDING

Steps:

• Place prunes in a medium-size saucepan, pour in 2 cups hot water and let stand for 1 hour. Transfer saucepan to the stove and bring prunes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes until soft.
• Drain prunes, reserving the liquid, and roughly chop. Add more hot water to the reserved prune water so it totals 2 cups. Place prunes and prune water back in the saucepan and add the sugar, powdered cinnamon and cinnamon stick. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water. Add the slurry to the prune mixture and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken mixture. Remove the cinnamon stick and ladle the pudding into ramekins. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

PRUNE WHIP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, simmer the prunes in water until soft, drain and puree. Combine the puree in a saucepan with the sugar and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and vanilla.
• Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tarter, and beat until stiff. Fold the prune puree into the egg whites.
• Pour into a buttered and sugared 2 quart baking dish and bake in a preheated 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) oven until nicely browned. Refrigerate and serve chilled with whipping cream.

OLD FASHIONED PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour Bundt or tube pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Add flour mixture, alternating with 1 cup buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. beat well after each addition. Stir in prunes, pecans and 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla.
• Pour into greased and floured bundt or tube pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
• Make large, deep holes in hot cake and pour topping in holes and on top of cake a little at a time, giving it time to soak in.
• For the topping: In saucepan, over medium heat, cook butter, 3/4 cup buttermilk, corn syrup and 1 1/2 cup sugar until sugar and butter melt. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla and stir.

STEAMED CHOCOLATE, STOUT & PRUNE PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the prunes in a dish with the stout and leave to soak overnight. The next day, strain and reserve the stout, and set the prunes aside.
• Butter a 1.5-litre pudding basin really well. Sift the cocoa powder together with the flour, bicarb and baking powder. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the sifted ingredients, alternating with the reserved stout, followed by all the walnuts, the dark chocolate and soaked prunes. Scrape the batter into the prepared basin.
• Put a piece of baking parchment on top of a sheet of foil (both large enough to cover the top of the basin). Fold a pleat along the middle, then place, parchment-side down, on top of the pudding, with the pleat across the centre. Tie firmly in place with string, using the string to make a handle. Trim the excess parchment and foil.
• Put the pudding in a large saucepan with a lid, then pour in enough boiling water to come one-third of the way up the side of the basin. Bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan and steam the pudding for 1¾ hrs, making sure that the pan doesn't boil dry. Leave to sit for 10 mins.
• For the sauce, put the chocolate in a bowl. Pour the cream, stout and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot, then pour over the chocolate. Leave to sit for 2 mins or so. Stir until smooth.
• To turn the pudding out, run a knife around the edge of the basin. Set a serving plate on top of the pudding, invert, give it a bit of a shake and it should slide out. Pour some of the chocolate sauce over the top and offer the rest in a jug, with some crème fraîche or whipped cream on the side.

PRUNE WHIP

Steps:

• Beat together 3 egg whites with salt.
• Add the 6 Tbsp.
• sugar and beat until stiff.
• Fold in the prunes and lemon juice.
• Place in a casserole dish and place the dish in a pan of water.
• Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
• Custard: Scald the milk in a double boiler.
• Beat together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla.
• Add this egg mixture slowly to the milk.
• Continue cooking to thicken.
• Serve the prune whip with the custard on top.

BREAD PUDDING WITH DRUNKEN PRUNES

Steps:

• Place diced prunes in a small jar or bowl, pour Comfort ove rtop; let sit about 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350. Brush 2-quart baking dish with 1 T. melted butter, set aside.
• In a large bowl, drizzle remaining butter over bread cubes. Scatter cubes on a baking sheet and brown lightly in the preheating oven. Remove and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, cream and vanilla. Add eggs, yolks, sugar and salt, whisking until smooth; set aside.
• Dump bread cubes into prepared baking dish. Remove prunes from liquor (or it might all have soaked in) and toss with cubes. Pour egg-mixture over top of cubes and prunes; cover.
• Place baking dish in a water bath (water should come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish), in the oven. Bake for one hour (or until "set").
• Remove dish from water bath, chill for two hours in refrigerator before unmolding from baking dish (or leave in the pan if you're not doing a fancy presentation).
• If you prefer to serve the pudding HOT, let it rest only until it is unpuffed--but do NOT unmold to serve.
• Serve with "butter-rum" sauce (1/2 cup each melted butter and powdered sugar with 3 T rum splashed in--heat briefly in the microwave) OR vanilla ice cream OR whipped cream.