Steamed Apricot Pudding Food

APRICOT STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• In a 1 1/2-quart glass or ceramic souffle dish, stir together the apricots, 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power for 7 minutes. Prick plastic wrap to release steam.
• Remove from oven, and uncover. Scrape mixture into a blender, and puree. Scrape down sides of blender. Add lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Put puree into a medium bowl, and let stand 15 minutes or until cool.
• Place a 2-quart souffle dish on parchment paper. Lightly trace around the base with a pencil. Cut out the paper disk just inside the pencil marking. Grease the dish and both sides of the paper using 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Place the remaining sugar and butter in the work bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. With processor running, add the eggs one at a time to combine. Add the apricot puree, and process until completely incorporated.
• Return apricot mixture to the bowl, and gently fold in the bread crumbs until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared souffle dish. To remove the air bubbles, firmly rap dish on counter. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook 12 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from the oven, and uncover. Cover with a heavy plate, and let stand for 15 minutes. Unmold; remove parchment paper, let cool about 5 minutes and serve.

APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Set a round wire rack in bottom of large stockpot. Set a 5-cup pudding basin or ovenproof bowl on rack. Fill pot with enough water to come about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the basin. Remove basin; dry, and butter inside. Set aside. Cover pot, and bring to a boil.
• Put apricots, brandy, and 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until apricots are very soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup apricots. Carefully puree remaining apricot mixture in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup); let cool 10 minutes.
• Cut reserved apricots into 1/2-inch pieces; return to saucepan. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a simmer; cook until liquid is nearly evaporated. Pour mixture into prepared basin, and set aside.
• Butter a 10-inch round of parchment paper; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
• Put remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the lime zest into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in lime juice.
• Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the apricot puree and milk. Transfer batter to prepared basin.
• Place parchment round, buttered side down, over basin. Make a pleat in center of parchment. Cover with an 11-inch round of foil. Make a pleat in the center of the foil to allow room for pudding to expand. Cut a piece of twine about 7 feet long. Wrap twine twice around basin over foil, just below lip. Knot to secure. Tie loose ends to twine on other side of basin, creating a handle.
• Lower pudding into boiling water; cover pot. Return to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Steam until an instant-read thermometer inserted into pudding registers 180 degrees, about 1 1/2 hour, adding boiling water occasionally to maintain level.
• Transfer pudding to a wire rack. Remove foil and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of bowl to loosen, and invert pudding onto a serving plate. Serve warm, with ice cream or creme anglaise if desired.

AS-YOU-LIKE-IT STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin and put your chosen topping in the base. Boil a kettle of water. To prepare your steamer, put a snugly fitting upturned bowl in the base of a large, deep saucepan, big enough to hold the pudding.
• Put the ingredients for the sponge in a food processor and blend until smooth (but don't overwork the mix), then tip into the pudding basin. Cover with a lid made of baking parchment and foil, and tie with string to secure (see step-by-step). Stand the pudding on the upturned bowl in your saucepan. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the pudding basin. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and leave to steam for 2½ hrs, topping up with boiling water if the level gets too low.
• Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil and parchment lid into the centre of the pudding. If the skewer still has some wet mixture on it, return the pudding to the steamer for a further 15-20 mins, then check again. Once cooked, uncover and turn the pudding onto a plate. Serve straight away with custard, if you like.

FLAMBED APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Cover; let stand 8 HOURS.
• Beat sugar; applesauce, and margarine at medium speed until blended; add eggs; beating well. Add apricot mixture and vanilla; mix well.
• Combine flour, baking soda, and ginger; gradually add to apricot mixture, stirring well. Spoon into a 6-cup metal mold coated with cooking spray; cover tightly.
• Place mold on a shallow rack in a large, deep kettle; pour enough boiling water into kettle to come halfway up sides of the mold. cover and steam over boiling water 1 1/2 hours, adding additional water as needed.
• Remove mold from kettle; cool pudding in mold on wire rack 15 minutes. Invert pudding onto a serving plate.
• Heat 2 tablespoons brandy in a long-handled ladle just until hot; pour over pudding and ignite. Serve with Apricot Sauce.
• Apricot Sauce: 1/4 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 2 cups apricot nectar; 2 tablespoons brandy. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a non-aluminum saucepan; stir well. Gradually add apricot nectar and brandy. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Serve warm. Yield: 2 cups sauce.

STEAMED GINGER PUDDING WITH APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Butter a 5-cup heatproof pudding basin or mixing bowl. Cut a parchment circle to fit top of bowl; butter. Fill a large pot fitted with a steamer or pasta insert with enough water to come halfway up bowl (test this with an empty bowl); set aside.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, and ground ginger in a small bowl. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches. Add chopped ginger, honey, and milk; mix until just combined.
• Spoon jam into bottom of prepared bowl. Pour batter on top; smooth with a spatula. Cover bowl with prepared parchment, buttered side down. Place a tea towel on top, and secure with kitchen twine. Knot opposing corners of towel together on top of bowl.
• Bring water in prepared pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully lower pudding bowl into steamer; cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water doesn't completely evaporate. Transfer to a wire rack; remove towel and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a small knife around edge of bowl; invert pudding onto a plate. Serve warm.

APRICOT-LEMON STEAMED PUDDING WITH KUMQUAT MARMALADE

Steps:

• Slice kumquats into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; remove seeds. Combine kumquats and granulated sugar in medium saucepan. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring often with wooden spoon, until kumquats start to release their juices, 10 to 15 minutes. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring often, until kumquats have softened and liquid has thickened slightly, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
• Combine apricots, brandy, 1/2 cup water, ginger, and zest of 1 lemon in medium saucepan. Cover; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to simmer, and cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove ginger; discard. Transfer to food processor; puree until smooth; set aside.
• Butter an 8-to-10-cup pudding mold and a circle of parchment paper that is 4 inches wider in diameter than the mold.
• In electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until lightened, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at time, until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes with each addition. Add vanilla and remaining zest. Slowly beat in apricot puree. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; add to apricot mixture in two additions, alternating with milk.
• Spoon about 3/4 cup kumquat marmalade into mold, arranging kumquats around sides of mold to follow pattern if there is one; reserve remaining marmalade. Pour in batter. Tap mold sharply down on counter to distribute batter evenly. Cover with parchment, and secure with rubber band; cover with foil. Place lid over foil onto mold. Place rack in stockpot, and set mold, lid side up, on rack. Pour in boiling water to halfway up side of mold. Cover, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to medium low, and steam 2 hours and 20 minutes. Remove; let sit 15 minutes. Uncover, invert mold onto a serving plate, and garnish with sliced kumquats, if desired. Serve pudding warm or at room temperature with dollop of creme fraiche or double cream and reserved marmalade on the side.

STEAMED GINGER PUDDING WITH APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Butter a 5-cup heatproof pudding basin or mixing bowl. Cut a parchment circle to fit top of bowl; butter. Fill a large pot fitted with a steamer or pasta insert with enough water to come halfway up bowl (test this with an empty bowl); set aside.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, and ground ginger in a small bowl. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches. Add chopped ginger, honey, and milk; mix until just combined.
• Spoon jam into bottom of prepared bowl. Pour batter on top; smooth with a spatula. Cover bowl with prepared parchment, buttered side down. Place a tea towel on top; secure with kitchen twine. Tie opposing corners of towel on top of bowl.
• Bring water in prepared pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully lower pudding bowl into steamer; cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water doesn't completely evaporate. Transfer to a wire rack; remove towel and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a small knife around edge of bowl; invert pudding onto a plate. Serve warm.

CHOCOLATE & APRICOT PUD WITH GLOSSY CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Butter a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basin and put a circle of greaseproof paper in the base. Put the apricots in a small pan and add the brandy. Bring slowly to the boil, then simmer, turning the apricots occasionally until all the brandy has soaked in. Leave until cool enough to handle.
• Tip the ground almonds into a bowl, then sift over the cocoa, flour and baking powder and mix everything together.
• In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.Gradually beat in the eggs and milk.
• Chop half the apricots into small pieces. Chop the chocolate into large chunks. Lightly stir the flour mixture into the cake mix, followed by the apricots and chocolate.
• Put the remaining whole apricots into the bowl and spoon over the honey. Add the pudding mixture and smooth the top. Cover with double thickness buttered greaseproof paper and tie down. Trim off the excess paper, then overwrap in foil, tucking the ends under the edges of the paper.
• Put the basin into a large pan and pour boiling water into the pan, to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover and steam for 21⁄2 hours, until it feels firm. (The pudding can be made to this stage up to 2 days ahead. Reheat by steaming for 1 hour, or microwave on medium for 6-8 minutes.)
• Towards the end of the cooking time, make the sauce. Break up the chocolate and put in a small pan with the cream and brandy if using. Warm gently, stirring lightly until smooth and glossy.
• Cool the pudding in the bowl for 10 minutes, then turn out and serve with the chocolate sauce and cream or good vanilla ice cream.

CANADIAN NATIONAL STEAMED APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time and blend each in until well mixed. Sift together the flour and the baking powder and add this to the butter-sugar-egg mixture, stirring all the time. Make sure the mixture is uniform. Then add the milk and blend it in well. Finally stir in the apricots. Pour the mixture into a greased pudding mold, put the top on the mold and steam the pudding for two hours. Serve while warm with a sauce of your choice.