Preparation time
overnight
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 10–12
Dietary
Vegetarian
By Jane Baxter
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the Nesselrode no-churn ice cream
- 50g/1¾oz raisins
- 50g/1¾oz sultanas
- 100g/3½oz glacé fruits (such as orange, lemon, pineapple, apricot, or cherries), chopped
- 3 tbsp dark rum
- 200g/7oz chestnut purée
- 400ml/14fl oz double cream
- 400g/14oz condensed milk
- few drops vanilla essence
- 3 tbsp brandy
For the figgy pudding
- 150g/5½oz prunes, chopped
- 110g /4oz dried figs, chopped
- 425ml/15fl oz boiling water
- 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 90g/3¼oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- few drops vanilla essence
- 2 free-range eggs
- 350g/12oz gluten-free plain flour
- 3 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 3 tbsp brandy
For the topping
- 350g/12oz dark muscovado sugar
- 200g/7oz unsalted butter, roughly chopped
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 2 tbsp brandy
Method
Start with the fruit for the ice cream. Mix the dried fruit with the chopped glacé fruit and rum. Cover and leave overnight to infuse.
The next day, whisk together the chestnut purée, double cream, condensed milk, vanilla essence and brandy until it forms soft peaks. Fold through the fruit and rum mixture and transfer to a container. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
To make the figgy pudding, combine all the chopped dried fruit in a bowl with the boiling water and the bicarbonate of soda. Stir and leave to one side to cool.
Place all the topping ingredients in a heavy-based pan and bring to a simmer. Boil for a few minutes until it’s come together into a glossy, smooth sauce. Grease two pudding basins with butter and divide the sauce between them.
To finish the pudding, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl (or in a food processor or stand mixer) until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one until you have a smooth batter. Sift the flour with the baking powder. Stir the brandy through the dried fruit mixture. Fold half the flour into the batter with half the dried fruit mixture. Repeat with the rest of the flour and dried fruit until everything is smooth and uniform. Divide the mixture between the prepared basins.
Cut two rounds of greaseproof paper to cover each pudding basin, with enough of an overhang to tie them securely around the edge. Grease the rounds with butter and place on top of each pudding. Cover both with a layer of foil, then tie with string.
Steam the puddings for about 1 hour 40 minutes, then turn the puddings out into a warm serving dish. Serve with the ice cream alongside.