Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Christmas Pudding
Author: 
Recipe type: Desserts
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10–12
 
Ingredients
  • dairy-free margarine, for greasing
  • 750g/1lb 10oz mixture of sultanas, raisins and currants
  • 150ml/5fl oz/scant ⅔ cups brandy or apple juice
  • 300g/10½oz/gluten-free and dairy-free bread, crusts removed
  • 50g/1¾oz/heaped ¼ cup rice flour
  • 25g/1oz/scant ¼ cup gram flour
  • 50g/1¾oz/½ cup ground almonds
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum
  • ½ tsp mixed spice
  • a large pinch of ground cloves
  • a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 175g/6oz/1 cup fruit sugar or caster sugar
  • 100g/3½oz gluten-free vegetarian suet
  • 50g/1¾oz dried mango, chopped
  • 1 small apple, grated
  • 30g/1oz/scant ½ cup flaked almonds
  • 3 eggs, beaten
Method
  1. Lightly grease a pudding basin with dairy-free margarine and cover the base with a circle of greased baking paper. Put the sultanas, raisins and currants and 500ml/17fl oz/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 30–40 minutes until all of the fruit has softened and the water has been absorbed. Pour the brandy in, mix thoroughly, and leave to one side.
  2. Put the bread in a food processor and blend to make (about 200g/7oz) breadcrumbs. Remove and leave to one side.
  3. Sift the flours into a large mixing bowl and add the ground almonds, breadcrumbs, xanthan gum and spices and mix well. Add in the sugar, suet, chopped mango, grated apple and flaked almonds and stir well with a wooden spoon. (Ask everyone to stir at this point – and don't forget to make a wish!)
  4. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy. Pour into the pudding mixture and stir in thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the basin and smooth the surface with the back of a metal spoon. Cover with 2 layers of greased foil and tie a piece of string tightly around the basin rim to secure it.
  5. Put the basin into a large saucepan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 6 hours, adding more boiling water if needed.
  6. Leave to cool in the bowls for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and turn out. Serve hot.
Recipe by Grace Cheetham at https://www.gracecheetham.com/gluten-free-amp-dairy-free-christmas-pudding