FRUIT & NUT CHRISTMAS PUDDING LOAF

Fruit & nut Christmas pudding loaf image

The loaf shape makes this pud easy to slice and serve, and it takes less time to cook than a steamed one

Provided by Sara Buenfeld

Categories Dessert

Time 3h

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

400g dried mixed fruit
85g glacé cherry
1 Bramley apple , about 175g, grated, plus zest 1 orange and 1 lemon
150ml good apple juice
2 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp Cointreau (or use more brandy)
140g butter , plus extra for greasing
100g dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs , beaten
85g self-raising flour
100g white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
25g toasted hazelnut , pecan nuts and blanched almonds, roughly chopped
50g butter
50g dark muscovado sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp brandy
25g each toasted hazelnuts, pecan nuts, blanched almonds and glacé cherry , left whole
icing sugar , for dusting (optional)

Steps:

Put the dried fruit, cherries, apple, zests, apple juice, brandy and Cointreau in a large bowl. Microwave on High for 1 min, then leave to soak overnight.
Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with a strip of non-stick baking paper. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the kettle on to boil and have a roasting tin, plus a sheet of buttered foil, ready.
Beat the butter and sugar together until it turns a little paler, then stir in the eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, syrup, spices, salt, soaked fruit and the nuts. Spoon into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Scrunch the foil loosely over the tin, twisting corners to tighten it around the tin's edges. Sit it in the roasting tin, then pour in a few cms of boiling water. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 40 mins.
After 40 mins, turn down the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for another 1½ hrs, topping up the water level every now and again.
To reheat the pudding, either return it to a medium oven for 30 mins in its tin, or turn out onto a serving plate, cover loosely with cling film and microwave for 5 mins on Medium. For the topping, gently heat the butter, sugar and syrup together until the sugar dissolves, stir in the brandy, then tip in the nuts and fruit. Spoon over the hot pudding and dust with a little icing sugar, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 722 calories, Fat 35 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 94 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 75 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 9 grams protein, Sodium 1.22 milligram of sodium