Vegan Christmas Pudding

Because vegans need to stir wishes in their puddings too!

Take a look at the video for the Christmas Pudding Recipe:

Ingredients: (makes 2 medium puddings)

- 275g breadcrumbs
- 100g dried apricots
- 100g dried pitted prunes, chopped
- 225g raisins
- 225g sultanas
- 225g seedless raisins
- 50g almonds, chopped
- 75g walnuts, chopped
- 225g muscovado sugar
- zest of an orange or lemon
- mixed spices, optional
- 1 apple, cored and diced
- 150ml brandy
- 3 egg replacers with water
- 150 ml non-dairy milk

Instructions:

1. Combine all the dry fruits and nuts in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, the apple, the zest and the breadcrumbs. Add the mixed spices if you want to. Stir to combine well.
2. Add the wet ingredients (milk, eggs replacers and brandy).
3. Pour the batter in the puddings bowls and cover them with first a square of baking parchment (because it's non-stick), then a square of aluminium paper of the same size. Make a sort of plait on the top so the pudding has some space to rise. With a piece of string, fasten the two layers, making a handle on the top to pull the pudding out of the pot (see later). You can see the method performed in detail on the BBC Food website.
4. Steam the puddings in a large pot for about 7 hours. Refill the water throughout the period of steaming and be careful not to pour water higher than about two thirds of the bowl, otherwise you'll get water in your pudding.
5. Steam for 2 hours prior to serving.

Making a Christmas pudding is a very lengthy process. Needless to say, you will need to stay home all day to make this, but I think baking for a whole day is part of the charm of the winter holiday season.