MINI CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS

These are made in just moments with mincemeat and cooked in less than an hour. They are also light-textured but have all the flavours of Christmas. You don’t have to make them at the last minute – they freeze beautifully and reheat like a dream. Serve with Christmas Rum Sauce (see right).

Serves 4

200g (7oz) mincemeat 60g (2¼oz) self-raising flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ rounded teaspoon ground mixed spice 1 medium egg 25g (1oz) softened butter 40ml (1½fl oz) black treacle 55ml (2fl oz) of Guinness 1 tablespoon dark rum 40g (1½oz) Bramley apple, peeled, cored and finely diced 10g (¼oz) roasted chopped hazelnuts 75g (2¾oz) currants The grated zest of ½ an orange The grated zest of ½ a lemon 1 tablespoon brandy, if flaming the puddings 4 x 175ml (6fl oz) mini non-stick pudding basins, well buttered, a small shallow roasting tin, some baking parchment and foil Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. First sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a medium mixing bowl, then add the egg and softened butter.

After that, measure the treacle into a glass measuring jug, add the stout and rum and mix these together.

Next pour this mixture into the bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, whisk everything very thoroughly together.

Now add the apple, nuts, currants, mincemeat and, finally, the grated orange and lemon zests. Then mix everything together very thoroughly, and divide the mixture among the 4 well-buttered pudding basins.

Top each with a small circle of buttered baking parchment, followed by an 18cm (7in) square of foil large enough to fold under the edges of the basins, making a pleat all the way round to seal.

Now place the basins in the tin and pour in 2.5cm (1in) of boiling water from the kettle, then place the tin in the oven and leave to cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the puddings are springy and firm to the touch in the centre.

Then remove them from the oven, remove the foil and baking parchment and let them stand for 10 minutes before carefully running a small knife around each one to turn them out on to warm serving plates. If you want to flame the puddings, this is very easy to do and it’s guaranteed to really impress your Christmas party guests.

Firstly line the puddings up on a warm serving platter, then warm the brandy in a metal ladle over direct heat and, as soon as the brandy is hot, turn out the flame and ask someone to set light to it using a long match.

Place the ladle now gently flaming over one of the puddings – but don’t pour the brandy over until you reach the table. (If you don’t have a gas hob, warm the brandy in a small saucepan.)

When you do, pour it slowly over all the puddings and watch them flame to the cheers and delight of all the assembled company.

NOTE The photograph includes cranberries which look festive but are not really needed.