Christmastime is fun and festive with lots of get togethers and it is very easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit and lose sight of your other goals. The goals that have you getting in shape or dropping the kilos.
There are also those who need to avoid sugar for health and diet reasons and it can be hard missing out while everyone is sharing rich and divine Christmas desserts, now there is a delicious sugar free Christmas Pudding that is sure to satisfy that sweet craving.
Christmas Pudding
SERVES 16
Ingredients
250g raisins
300g sultanas
200g currants
190g dried figs, chopped
250g butter, finely chopped
200ml brandy
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Butter or oil, to grease
300g stale gluten-free breadcrumbs (remove crusts before processing)
125ml milk, hot
125ml sweet sherry
4 X-large eggs
90g Perfect Sweet® xylitol
½ tsp salt
Brandy Butter
125g unsalted butter, softened
50g Perfect Sweet® xylitol
125ml brandy
Method
Combine dried fruit, butter, brandy, spices and black pepper in a large glass or ceramic bowl and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Brush a 2.5 litre pudding basin with butter or oil to grease well.
Soak breadcrumbs in a large bowl with the hot milk and sherry.
Meanwhile, use an electric beater to beat eggs, xylitol and salt in a separate bowl until pale.
Add to breadcrumb mixture and stir well to combine.
Add fruit mixture and mix well.
Spoon batter into pudding basin. Cover with greaseproof paper and secure tightly with string. Place the basin in a large saucepan. Add enough boiling water to come three-quarters up the sides of the basin.
Cover and bring water to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 hours.
Check often and top up with boiling water as needed.
Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced. Carefully remove basin from saucepan. Remove greaseproof paper and bake pudding for 30 minutes.
Boil the pudding for a further 2 hours on the day of serving. Serve with brandy butter.
BRANDY BUTTER
Use an electric beater to beat butter and xylitol together in a bowl until pale. Add the brandy a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition (this prevents mixture from separating).
RECIPE TIP
Baking the pudding for the last 30 minutes in the oven gives it the lovely rich colour and flavour.
Brandy butter can be frozen until required.
Sugar Free Baking is $29.95 and stockists will be listed on www.sweetlife.com.au as of October 2015.
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