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Words and photo from Orchard by James Rich.
Boozy, warming and spicy, this is the perfect pudding for autumn (fall) indulgence. If you can’t get cider brandy then swap it for Calvados, or even cognac or Cointreau. The mixture can also be split between small pudding dishes – just reduce the cooking time by at least half.
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Spiced Cider Brandy Pudding
Ingredients
- 100 g 3 1/2 oz pitted dates
- 250 g 9 oz stem ginger
- 2 tablespoons Somerset cider brandy
- 200 g 7 oz/ 1 2/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, baking soda
- 75 g 2 1/2 oz salted butter
- 150 g 5 oz/generous 3/4 cup dark brown soft sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons black treacle, molasses
- 2 eggs
- vanilla ice cream, to serve
For the sauce
- 75 g 2 ½ oz/generous 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 50 g 2 oz unsalted butter
- 150 ml 5fl oz/scant 2/3 cup double (heavy) cream
Instructions
- Preheat the fan oven to 160°C (350°F/gas 4). Grease a 1 litre (2 pint) pudding basin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
- Put the dates into a saucepan and cover with warm water. Steep over a medium heat for 5–10 minutes to soften the dates. The water should be absorbed by the dates. If not, discard the excess water.
- Put the dates, stem ginger and brandy into a food processor and blitz until smooth – if the mixture is a little thick, add some of the syrup from the stem ginger jar.
- Next, prepare the sauce. Warm 120 g (4 oz) of the stem ginger mixture in a saucepan over a medium heat, stir in the sugar and butter, then slowly pour in the cream. Simmer gently until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside while you make the pudding.
- Combine the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl and stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the treacle and continue to mix until it is fully incorporated. Finally, beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold in with a spoon until combined, being careful not to overmix.
Excerpted from Orchard by James Rich (Hardie Grant). Copyright © 2022.