MAKES: 12 Individual Puddings
EQUIPMENT: 12 individual silicone pudding moulds
INGREDIENTS
Fruits and nuts
180g currants
180g raisins
180g sultanas
180g mixed fruit
45g slivered almonds
200g rum
Plum pudding
180g butter
6g (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
180g brown sugar
220g (approx. 4) whole eggs
120g plain flour
20g ground nutmeg
2g (1/4 teaspoon) bicarbonate of soda 2g (1/2 teaspoon) fine salt
6g mixed spice
90g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
Royal icing
55g (approx. 1) egg white
300g icing sugar, sifted
Squeeze of lemon juice
To garnish
Illawarra plums
Small native leaves and flowers
(such as Geraldton wax)
Substitutions
Illawarra plums for cherries or riberries
METHOD
For the fruits and nuts, add all the ingredients to a ceramic dish with the rum and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for about 3 days. Turn over with a spoon a couple of times a day until the fruit has absorbed the rum and is plump.
To make the plum pudding, add the butter, vanilla and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Mix together the dry ingredients in another bowl and fold into the wet ingredients, then mix in soaked fruits.
Transfer the mix into twelve silicone pudding moulds and steam them. You can do this either in a steam oven or using a double boiler. Place one pot with holes in the base inside another pot filled halfway with water. Place the puddings inside and cover the top pot. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and steam for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is set. The puddings are ready when a skewer inserted in the middle of a pudding comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 98˚C. Allow to cool in the moulds then unmould.
To make the royal icing, place the egg white in a bowl and add the sugar. Using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until stiff then add a squeeze of lemon juice and whip until smooth. Add water, drop by drop, until it reaches a dripping consistency. You can test this by spooning a little icing over a mould to see if it runs and holds down the side.
Transfer the icing to a piping (icing) bag fitted with a fine, plain nozzle and pipe the top of each pudding to resemble dripping custard. Before the icing has a chance to harden, top with an Illawarra plum, and a native leaf and flower.
Edited recipe extract from Modern Australian Baking by Christopher Thé, published by Hardie Grant Books.
