Steamed Cranberry Pudding
Traditional steamed Christmas puddings can be a bit heavy and sweet. This cranberry pudding, with its lighter texture and pleasant tartness, will give your holiday dinner a perfectly delightful finish.
Butter and bread crumbs for the pudding mold
3¾ cups fresh cranberries
½ cup pecans
2 cups sugar, divided
3 tablespoons flour
Grated zest of one orange
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
3 large eggs
¾ cup butter, melted and cooled
⅔ cup milk
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
3 cups fine bread crumbs
1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup orange liqueur
Whipped cream
¼ cup apple brandy (optional)
Equipment: Two-quart pudding mold, tube type, with lid
Large pot with rack and lid
Natural gas stovetop
Liberally grease the pudding mold with softened butter and coat well with bread crumbs.
Place the pecans in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Empty the pecans into a large bowl.
Chop the cranberries coarsely in the food processor and add to the ground pecans. Add 1 cup sugar, the flour, orange zest, and nutmeg and mix well.
In another large bowl beat the eggs lightly with a whisk, then whisk in the remaining cup of sugar plus the melted butter, milk, and liqueur. Mix in the bread crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Add the cranberry mixture and mix until well combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pudding mold, smooth the top of the batter with a spatula, and snap on the lid.
Place the pot on your stovetop, set a baking rack in the bottom of the pot, place the pudding mold on the rack, and carefully pour in enough boiling water to cover the bottom 3 inches of the mold. Bring the water around the pudding mold to a boil over high heat, reducing the heat to just low enough to maintain a simmer. Place the lid on the pot and steam the pudding for 2 hours.
Remove the pudding mold from the pot and test for doneness. A wooden or straw skewer inserted toward the center of the pudding should come out with just a few crumbs sticking to it.
Immediately pour the remaining orange liqueur over the pudding and cover lightly with a paper towel and the lid.
Serve the pudding warm. Or you can make it ahead and store it in the mold refrigerated. To reheat, place on a rack in the large pot, add boiling water as before, and steam for about an hour.
Unmold the pudding onto a dessert platter and serve with whipped cream on the side.
You can also present the pudding flaming. Just heat the apple brandy in a heatproof container, flame it with a candle lighter, and pour over the pudding. Slice and serve after the flames go out.