Festive RecipesVegan Christmas Pudding

Ingredients (serves 10)

Wet ingredients
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup coconut oil – melted
1/4 cup brandy – optional

Dry ingredients
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup almond flour or ground almonds
3/4 cup milled/ground flaxseed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp raw cocao powder (my preferred choice is The Raw Chocolate Company)
1 1/2 cups organic raisins
1/2 organic dried cherries
1 cup pecan nuts – chopped

Method

Follow the instructions above on how to prepare the steaming pot and glass bowl.
Next, fill the pot to half way with water and start to boil it.
Combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
In a food processor, blitz together the dates and almond flour for a few seconds until the dates are finely chopped.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine the rest of the dry ingredients, stir gently until mixed.
Add the raisins, cherries and nuts, stir again.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix well, ensuring that the ingredients at the bottom of the bowl are well mixed.
Transfer the batter to prepared glass bowl.
Cover the bowl with foil. Using a piece of string, firmly tie down the foil.
Place the bowl in the pot of warm water, cover with the lid, turn the stove heat to low and steam for 3 hours (set a timer).
Check on the water level during cooking, if it looks very low then just top up slightly.
Once cooked, remove from the water and leave to cool
Using a sharp knife, run it around the edge of the pudding, turn it upside down on a plate….then leave it, let gravity take it course and it will eventually just pop out.