Chocolate Fig Date Pudding Recipes

FIGGY PUDDING RECIPE

Steps:

• Directions:Put oven on preheat to 325 degrees F.Sieve flour and keep aside until required. Grease and flour 9-inch diameter baking pan.Mix chopped dates and chopped figs in a bowl. Heat water in a saucepan until it starts to boil and pour it over dates and figs in a bowl. Stir in baking soda and keep aside to cool for 7-10 minutes.Transfer date and fig mixture to blender, add brandy and make a puree.Take another bowl, beat butter and sugar in it until smooth. Add eggs and beat again until fluffy and light.Fold in the flour, breadcrumbs, ground nutmeg, grated orange zest, pureed date and fig mixture and grated dark chocolate.Pour prepared batter in a greased baking pan and place it in a preheated oven.Bake until pudding is perfectly set or for around an hour. To verify if pudding is fully backed or not, insert the toothpick in center and check if it comes out clean. If it does, then it is properly cooked otherwise cook it more for 5-10 minutes.After verifying that it is perfectly cooked, take out backing pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes.Turn out the prepared figgy pudding onto a serving plate and serve with cream or ice cream.

WARM STICKY FIGGY PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the dates, dried figs and water to a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then add to a blender and puree.
• Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and beat well. Fold in the flour, the pureed date mixture and the chocolate.
• Put the mixture into 4 buttered, 1-cup individual ramekins, filling halfway or slightly under. Put in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Prepare the sauce by stirring the sugar and cream in a medium saucepan over low heat. Simmer until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until incorporated.
• Remove the ramekins from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. May be served in the ramekin or unmolded onto a small serving plate. With paring knife cut a cross in the top of the puddings for the sauce.
• Pour the sauce into the cross in the center of each pudding, then pour more sauce over the puddings and it allow to soak in slightly. Top with fresh figs and vanilla ice cream or heavily whipped cream. Serve warm.

CHOCOLATE FIG BROWNIES

Steps:

• To make fig puree, cover about 125-150g of dried figs with boiling water (figs+water to equal 175g). Keep warm (you can microwave on low for 5 minutes or so or put in a small pan over low heat). Soak until soft (about 10 minutes) and puree in food processor or with stick blender. The puree should have a texture similar to thick batter or soft butter. If it's too thick, add a little water or if it's too thin, add more softened figs. (If you find you've made a bit more than the 175g you need for the brownies, you can use it to top toast or porridge or substitute for butter in biscuit or flapjack recipes.).
• Melt butter and chocolate together in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, or put it in the microwave on low for about two minutes (check, stir and repeat until melted).
• Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick and creamy, then add 175g of the fig puree and then the chocolate/butter mixture.
• Sift together flour and baking powder (add a pinch of salt if desired) into the bowl and combine.
• If adding nuts, roast under grill or in a hot pan, chop and add.
• Pour into baking pan or loaf tins. I use silicone, which doesn't need preparation, but a metal tin should be greased and either floured or lined with baking paper.
• Bake at 180°C/350 F/gas mark 4 for about 30 minutes or until the brownie begins to crack and does not wobble when shaken. This may take slightly less or slightly more time depending on how hot your oven is and how you like your brownies (ie longer baking time makes a cakier, less fudgy brownie). Cool and cut into squares.
• A note about substitutions: this recipe is amazingly robust and seems foolproof. Feel free to make prudent and appropriate substitutions as long as you keep the correct proportions of wet and dry ingredients. I often cut the sugar (by 30-50g) and just add an equal amount of flour instead. You can use prunes instead of figs, or substitute spelt flour for wheat. I once used 200g of chocolate and substituted 5 tablespoons of cocoa with an extra tablespoon of fig puree for the rest. Significant subs can be made within reason.

DATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine 1 cup brown sugar, water, and bring to a boil, cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add butter.
• In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 cup sugar.
• Stir in milk until smooth.
• Add dates and walnuts.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Pour syrup into a 8 or 9-inch baking pan; add batter and bake for 45 minutes.
• Serve warm with whipped cream.