Love the drama of lighting a Christmas pudding? Spoon over a little triple sec or rum to this carrot, coconut, and date pudding. If not, try our snowy topping
INGREDIENTS
- 2tbsp chia or flaxseeds
- 2 oranges, zested and juiced
- 200g dates
- 140g dark muscovado sugar
- 140g breadcrumbs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 85g desiccated coconut
- 100g vegetarian suet
- 2tsp mixed spice
- 2tsp baking powder
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- 50ml golden syrup
- 2 carrots, grated
- 140g sultanas
- a little sunflower oil, for the basin
METHOD
STEP 1
Mix the chia seeds with 6 tbsp water, then set aside for 5 mins until thickened. Blitz the orange juice and dates in a food processor until puréed.
STEP 2
Put all the other ingredients, except the oil, in a large bowl and mix with the date purée. Drizzle over the chia seed mix and mix well. Oil a 1.2-liter pudding basin and line the base with a circle of baking parchment. Spoon in the pudding mix, pressing down firmly. Cover with pleated baking parchment and foil, and secure with kitchen string (see our how-to video).
STEP 3
Lower the basin into a large pan with an upturned saucer or scrunched-up foil in the base to stop the basin from touching the bottom. Fill the pan with boiling water so it’s halfway up the side of the basin, then cover and simmer for 6-7 hrs, topping up the water as needed. It’s ready when a skewer poked into the center of the pudding comes out with only moist crumbs – there should be no wet mix. Leave to cool. Will keep it in a cool, dry cupboard for up to a year.
STEP 4
On the day, re-steam as above for 2 hrs. Leave to rest for 10 mins before carefully turning out. Serve with coconut custard (see below).