Individual Fig Or Apricot Steamed Puddings Recipes

APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Set a round wire rack in bottom of large stockpot. Set a 5-cup pudding basin or ovenproof bowl on rack. Fill pot with enough water to come about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the basin. Remove basin; dry, and butter inside. Set aside. Cover pot, and bring to a boil.
• Put apricots, brandy, and 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until apricots are very soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup apricots. Carefully puree remaining apricot mixture in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup); let cool 10 minutes.
• Cut reserved apricots into 1/2-inch pieces; return to saucepan. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a simmer; cook until liquid is nearly evaporated. Pour mixture into prepared basin, and set aside.
• Butter a 10-inch round of parchment paper; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
• Put remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the lime zest into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in lime juice.
• Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the apricot puree and milk. Transfer batter to prepared basin.
• Place parchment round, buttered side down, over basin. Make a pleat in center of parchment. Cover with an 11-inch round of foil. Make a pleat in the center of the foil to allow room for pudding to expand. Cut a piece of twine about 7 feet long. Wrap twine twice around basin over foil, just below lip. Knot to secure. Tie loose ends to twine on other side of basin, creating a handle.
• Lower pudding into boiling water; cover pot. Return to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Steam until an instant-read thermometer inserted into pudding registers 180 degrees, about 1 1/2 hour, adding boiling water occasionally to maintain level.
• Transfer pudding to a wire rack. Remove foil and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of bowl to loosen, and invert pudding onto a serving plate. Serve warm, with ice cream or creme anglaise if desired.

APRICOT-LEMON STEAMED PUDDING WITH KUMQUAT MARMALADE

Steps:

• Slice kumquats into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; remove seeds. Combine kumquats and granulated sugar in medium saucepan. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring often with wooden spoon, until kumquats start to release their juices, 10 to 15 minutes. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring often, until kumquats have softened and liquid has thickened slightly, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
• Combine apricots, brandy, 1/2 cup water, ginger, and zest of 1 lemon in medium saucepan. Cover; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to simmer, and cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove ginger; discard. Transfer to food processor; puree until smooth; set aside.
• Butter an 8-to-10-cup pudding mold and a circle of parchment paper that is 4 inches wider in diameter than the mold.
• In electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until lightened, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at time, until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes with each addition. Add vanilla and remaining zest. Slowly beat in apricot puree. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; add to apricot mixture in two additions, alternating with milk.
• Spoon about 3/4 cup kumquat marmalade into mold, arranging kumquats around sides of mold to follow pattern if there is one; reserve remaining marmalade. Pour in batter. Tap mold sharply down on counter to distribute batter evenly. Cover with parchment, and secure with rubber band; cover with foil. Place lid over foil onto mold. Place rack in stockpot, and set mold, lid side up, on rack. Pour in boiling water to halfway up side of mold. Cover, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to medium low, and steam 2 hours and 20 minutes. Remove; let sit 15 minutes. Uncover, invert mold onto a serving plate, and garnish with sliced kumquats, if desired. Serve pudding warm or at room temperature with dollop of creme fraiche or double cream and reserved marmalade on the side.

STEAMED GINGER PUDDING WITH APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Butter a 5-cup heatproof pudding basin or mixing bowl. Cut a parchment circle to fit top of bowl; butter. Fill a large pot fitted with a steamer or pasta insert with enough water to come halfway up bowl (test this with an empty bowl); set aside.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, and ground ginger in a small bowl. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches. Add chopped ginger, honey, and milk; mix until just combined.
• Spoon jam into bottom of prepared bowl. Pour batter on top; smooth with a spatula. Cover bowl with prepared parchment, buttered side down. Place a tea towel on top, and secure with kitchen twine. Knot opposing corners of towel together on top of bowl.
• Bring water in prepared pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully lower pudding bowl into steamer; cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water doesn't completely evaporate. Transfer to a wire rack; remove towel and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a small knife around edge of bowl; invert pudding onto a plate. Serve warm.

APRICOT STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• In a 1 1/2-quart glass or ceramic souffle dish, stir together the apricots, 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power for 7 minutes. Prick plastic wrap to release steam.
• Remove from oven, and uncover. Scrape mixture into a blender, and puree. Scrape down sides of blender. Add lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Put puree into a medium bowl, and let stand 15 minutes or until cool.
• Place a 2-quart souffle dish on parchment paper. Lightly trace around the base with a pencil. Cut out the paper disk just inside the pencil marking. Grease the dish and both sides of the paper using 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Place the remaining sugar and butter in the work bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. With processor running, add the eggs one at a time to combine. Add the apricot puree, and process until completely incorporated.
• Return apricot mixture to the bowl, and gently fold in the bread crumbs until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared souffle dish. To remove the air bubbles, firmly rap dish on counter. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook 12 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from the oven, and uncover. Cover with a heavy plate, and let stand for 15 minutes. Unmold; remove parchment paper, let cool about 5 minutes and serve.

INDIVIDUAL FIG OR APRICOT STEAMED PUDDINGS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 2 cups figs (or apricots), 1 cup water, and the brandy; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, just until figs are plumped (there should still be 1 cup liquid in the pan). Transfer the mixture, with all the liquid, to a food processor, and process until pureed. Set aside.
• Place remaining figs in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water, and let soak until fruit is plump, about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly, and set aside.
• Using a pastry brush, butter eight 2- or 3-cup pudding molds and their lids (or use eight circles of parchment paper cut several inches larger than mold for lids). Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until softened and well combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until each is incorporated. Add vanilla and reserved fig purée, and beat until combined, about 1 minute.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set the mixer on low speed, and gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with milk, to the fig mixture, in two additions each. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Place jam in a small saucepan, and heat, stirring, over medium heat just until warm. Spoon about 1 tablespoon warm jam into bottom of each pudding mold. Cut the reserved figs in half lengthwise, and arrange 8 to 10 halves cut sides up, on the bottoms of each of the molds, overlapping slightly. (Dried apricots do not need to be cut. Arrange 8 to 10 as above in the bottom of each mold.) Pour 1 cup batter into each mold. Tap molds sharply on counter several times to distribute batter evenly and to eliminate air bubbles. Cover each mold with its lids or parchment paper secured with a rubber band. (If using parchment, place a layer of aluminum foil on top of the paper to prevent water from coming in contact with the puddings.) Puddings may be made up to this point and refrigerated for 1 day. (If refrigerated, leave puddings at room temperature for 1 hour before steaming).
• To steam the puddings, place a 10-inch round rack in the bottom of an 8- to 10-quart stockpot; place three or four molds (depending on the size of the molds, either three or four will fit at one time) on the rack. Remaining puddings may sit at room temperature or be refrigerated for about 45 minutes while others are steaming. (Do not refrigerate puddings the entire steaming time, or they will be too cold to cook properly.) Pour enough boiling water into the pot to reach halfway up the sides of molds. Cover, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, and gently steam puddings until a toothpick inserted in the middles comes out clean, 2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes. Transfer molds to a cooling rack; when cool enough to handle, remove lids. Let sit, uncovered, for about 5 minutes for puddings; turn out onto serving plates. Serve warm with chilled brandy sauce.
• To rewarm fig or apricot puddings: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer puddings from refrigerator to a rimmed baking sheet. Keep puddings in molds with their lids. Place in oven. Heat for 40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into pudding comes out very hot to the touch. Using a pot holder or kitchen towel, carefully unmold puddings onto serving plates. Serve warm with brandy sauce.