Flambed Apricot Pudding

Total Time: 9 hrs Preparation Time: 8 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 14
• 12 ounces dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup margarine
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons brandy

Recipe

• 1 combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. cover; let stand 8 hours.
• 2 beat sugar; applesauce, and margarine at medium speed until blended; add eggs; beating well. add apricot mixture and vanilla; mix well.
• 3 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.
• 4 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.
• 5 remove mold from kettle; cool pudding in mold on wire rack 15 minutes. invert pudding onto a serving plate.
• 6 heat 2 tablespoons brandy in a long-handled ladle just until hot; pour over pudding and ignite. serve with apricot sauce.
• 7 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.