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What would Christmas be without the pudding and now with this gluten free recipe, everyone can share in the tradition.

The only question is do you add custard, cream or brandy butter for the full works?? This great recipe keeps for up to a year in a cupboard … would it last that long in your house?! Definitely not in mine!

No overnight soaking for this recipe. Just a bit of gentle heating and proceed as usual.

You need a 1.2 litre pudding bowl. Grease it well with butter and put a buttered disc of parchment in the bottom of the bowl. Set aside.

Ingredients:

500g mixed dried fruit of your choice
50g dried cranberries
4 tbsp. brandy
125ml dark beer (gluten free)
120g unsalted butter, softened
220g dark soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
100g ground almonds
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
grated zest of 1 orange
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cooking apple, peeled and grated

Method:

Put the dried fruit, brandy and beer into a pan and heat gently until the fruit has started to absorb the liquid. Leave aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Gradually add the beaten eggs.

In a smaller bowl, combine the spices, ground almonds and baking powder.

Add this to the beaten butter and sugar mixture with the grated zest of orange and lemon and the grated apple. Stir well.

Add in the dried fruit mixture and mix well to combine.

Spoon the mixture into the pudding bowl and cover with a pleated square of greaseproof paper and also pleated square of foil.

                                 

Tie securely with string and cut off any excess paper and foil.

Place in a pan and pour enough boiling water to come 2/3 up the sides of the bowl. Cover the pan and gently simmer for 4+1/2 hours, topping up the water as necessary.

Remove from the pan and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, replace the parchment on top with a fresh piece and same with the foil. This will keep for up to a year.

A lovely sight! Baked with lots of love

Soraya x