Baked Fruity Autumn Pudding Recipes

AUTUMN PUDDING

Steps:

• Place the fruit, sugar and butter into a saucepan and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes, or until softened. (Don't stir too often as the fruit will become mushy.)
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the contents into a colander set over a large bowl. Leave to stand for 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, so as much juice as possible is released by the fruit. You should end up with around 600ml/20fl oz.
• Pour the fruit juice back into the saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 20-30 minutes.
• Lightly oil a 1.5 litre/2 pint pudding basin and line with clingfilm, leaving plenty overhanging the edge. Cut a slice of bread using a round cutter and dip it quickly into the fruit juice. Place in the base of the pudding basin.
• Cut the other bread slices in half and dip one at a time into the juice. Arrange in slightly overlapping vertical pieces around the inside of the basin, making sure they are soaked in juice without being soggy.
• Once all the sides of the basin are lined with bread, pour half of the remaining fruit juice over the drained fruit and stir very lightly until it looks plump and glossy. Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin.
• Dip the remaining slices of bread in the fruit juice and place over the top of the pudding, trimming the bread where necessary to give a neat finish. Reserve any remaining fruit juice in a small bowl.
• Place the pudding onto a dinner plate. Cover the top of the pudding with the cling film, place a plate on top (make sure it fits inside the basin) and weigh down with a couple of tins. Chill in the fridge overnight.
• When ready to serve, remove the weights and plate and open the clingfilm. Place a serving plate on top of the pudding and invert. Remove the basin and peel off the cling film. Brush any gaps where white bread is showing with the reserved fruit juice.

FRUIT PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350, and while it preheats, place 1 stick of butter or margerine in a 9 X 13 or smaller deeper baking dish, in the oven until butter melts.(9x13 makes a nice size, but it comes out kind of thin.).
• Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk together, by hand until smooth.
• In pan with melted butter, add batter, making sure it covers most of the bottom of the pan.
• Drain fruit, and spoon on top of batter evenly, so batter is evenly covered with fruit.
• Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

BAKED FRUITY AUTUMN PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut 2 x 5cm-wide strips of parchment and lay them up the sides of a 1.2-litre pudding basin, making a cross on the bottom of the dish. Make sure there is some overhang to help you release the pudding when cooked. Grease again. Lay a square of foil and equal-size square of greased parchment on top of each other, folding a pleat down the middle.
• To make the filling, chop plums, apples and pears into 1cm cubes and place in a bowl with the blackberries. Add butter, broken into bits, 125g of sugar and cinnamon. Stir and put to the side.
• Sift flour into mixing bowl. Mix in suet, remaining sugar and zest. Add a few drops of water, working it through with a cutlery knife, then keep adding water until you have soft dough. Using your hand, bring the dough together into a smooth ball. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface. Tear the dough into ¾ and ¼ parts. Roll the larger portion into a rough circle, approx 20cm. Drop into the basin and press up the sides until you have a slight overhang. Tip the filling into the pastry case. Roll out the remaining ¼ to make a lid, then press the pastry edges together to firmly seal. Tuck the protruding flaps of parchment down onto pastry.
• Put foil/parchment on top (foil side up), pressing and squeezing the foil round the edges to make a fitted lid. Tie string securely around the lid, making a handle with extra doubled-up string. Put in a deep roasting tin, then pour boiling water to 1-2cm below foil line. Cook for 2 hrs, topping up water level if it gets too low. Unwrap, release edges using parchment tabs and invert onto a plate.