Dark Chocolate And Cherry Christmas Pudding

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 40 g sultanas (1 1/2 oz)
• 40 g currants (1 1/2 oz)
• 40 g raisins (1 1/2 oz)
• 40 g dried figs, chopped (1 1/2 oz)
• 60 g large glace cherries, quartered (2 1/4 oz)
• 1 tablespoon black treacle
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small apple, cored, peeled, grated
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 40 g plain flour (1 1/2 oz)
• 25 g molasses sugar (1 oz)
• 15 g cocoa powder (1/2 oz)
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 85 g bitter chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, grated (3oz)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 227 g clotted cream, to serve (8 oz)

Recipe

• 1 mix together the dried fruit, treacle, olive oil, apple and whiskey and leave for at least 4 hours , or overnight if possible.
• 2 mix all dry ingredients together.
• 3 add the egg to the soaked fruit and mix well.
• 4 finally add the dry ingredients and mix well, but do not over-mix.
• 5 place the mixture in a pudding basin, 617cm (6 1/2 in) in diameter and 9cm (3 1/2 in) deep, and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper.
• 6 place a large piece of foil on top of a large piece of greaseproof paper, then fold in the centre to make a pleat.
• 7 place the pleated papers on top of the pudding basin and use a long piece of string to tightly tie just below the rim of the basin.
• 8 with an extra piece of string, tie a long loop across the top, you can use this as a handle to help lower and lift the pudding in and out of the pan.
• 9 place a heatproof sauce in the bottom of a large saucepan and sit the pudding on top.
• 10 fill the pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the basin, then cover with a tightly fitting lid.
• 11 bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 4-5 hours.
• 12 check the water every couple of hours, and add extra boiling water as necessary to maintain the water level until the pudding had cooked.
• 13 serve with clotted cream.