THE QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

The Queen's Christmas Pudding image

Even if you don't like dried fruit, you'll agree this Christmas pudding is special and delicious. There's no sugar added, and no spices, either-it's perfect as is! Serve with vanilla ice cream, heavy cream, or crème anglaise.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Custards and Puddings

Time 12h55m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

15 medium Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
¼ cup currants
⅓ cup golden raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
1 large orange, zested and juiced
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ cups roughly chopped pecans
½ cup dry bread crumbs
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
¼ cup maple syrup

Steps:

Select a heat-proof bowl of any size or shape and generously grease with butter.
Combine dates, apricots, currants, raisins, cranberries, ginger, whiskey, orange zest, and orange juice in a mixing bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine.
Pour in melted butter and stir until everything is evenly coated. Mix in egg, heavy cream, and buttermilk. Add salt, pecans, bread crumbs, and flour and mix until batter is very thick and sticky.
Transfer dough to the prepared bowl and press it down to flatten with a spatula. Place a circle of parchment paper over the top and press down to seal. Stretch 2 pieces of plastic wrap over the bowl, then place the bowl on a third piece of plastic wrap. Bring the ends up and over the bowl and seal tightly. Cover the bowl with 2 pieces of foil, then tie a piece of string around and secure tightly.
Place in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
Lay rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Place the wrapped pudding on the rosemary sprigs and fill the Dutch oven halfway with water.
Place over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce heat to medium and steam, covered, for 4 hours, checking every hour to see if you need to add more water.
Use kitchen towels and carefully lift the pudding out of the Dutch oven. Snip the string, take off the foil, remove the plastic wrap, and peel off the parchment. Place a plate over the bowl and invert the pudding to unmold.
Brush maple syrup over top. Cut and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 716.7 calories, Carbohydrate 101 g, Cholesterol 82.7 mg, Fat 33.9 g, Fiber 9.8 g, Protein 9 g, SaturatedFat 14.1 g, Sodium 216.5 mg