Bakery | Boulangerie | ACE Bakery | ACE Café and Bread Store

Steamed Apple Cranberry Pudding

It doesn’t need to be a special occasion to enjoy this warm, moist and flavourful dessert. Apples, cranberries and currants give it a new festive twist for a cold winter’s eve. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe, the pudding and butter can be prepared in advance and re-heated (see Cook’s Tip at the end of the recipe).

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups fresh bread crumbs, made in a food processor with ACE Bakery® Rustic Italian Oval, crusts removed
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ¾ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. fine sea salt
  • 3 cups dried apples, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups dried cranberries
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup dark rum or bourbon
  • 1 tbsp. lemon zest, lightly packed
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup dark rum or bourbon
  • 1 tbsp. lemon zest, lightly packed
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup confectioner’s sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Pudding:

  1. Butter a 6-cup bundt pan, or non-stick pan.
  2. Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add dried fruit and toss to coat. Mix in bread crumbs.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, dark rum or bourbon, lemon zest and vanilla and thoroughly blend. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until well-combined.
  4. Fit a trivet or shallow bowl (upside down) into the bottom of a pot that is at least 4 inches (10 cm) wider and 2 inches (5 cm) higher than your mould. Pour the batter into the pan mould, leaving the top inch (2.5 cm) free for the pudding to expand. Lay a buttered circle of parchment paper over the batter, buttered-side down, and cover the top of the mould with foil, securing it over the edge to keep out any condensation.
  5. Lower the mould onto the trivet in the pot and carefully pour water three-quarters of the way up the mould. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the temperature to medium-low making sure that the water stays at a simmer. Cover with the pot lid and let sit to steam for 2.5 hours, checking every half hour and top up with water if necessary.

For the Brown Sugar Butter:

  1. Mix the brown sugar and two-thirds of the dark rum or bourbon in a heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Mix in lemon zest and cool to room temperature.
  2. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add remaining bourbon or dark rum, brown sugar mixture and confectioner’s sugar and beat until very smooth and fluffy.

Assembly:

  1. Remove the pudding from the pot, set on a rack and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Take off the parchment paper and invert the mould onto a baking sheet. If the pudding sticks, try gently easing the sides away from the baking pan with a knife.
  2. Transfer to a serving plate and either pipe the Brown Sugar Butter into rosettes around the plate, or spoon into a bowl and serve on the side.
  3. We’ve decorated our pudding with kumquats and figs, but feel free to place any seasonal garnish around the plate.

COOK’S TIPS

  • When preparing in advance, wrap the pudding dishes in plastic wrap after cooling completely and refrigerate. To reheat, repeat the steaming process for about 1 hour or until warmed through, or heat in the microwave in a microwaveable dish.
  • You can prepare the Brown Sugar Butter up to one week in advance and store by either piping into rosettes and placing them on wax paper in a container, or place in a ramekin and refrigerate.

This recipe is from ACE Bakery®.