Sago Fuit Pudding
This steamed pudding was another of Rom’s Christmas standards — the other pudding alongside the richer, darker Christmas pudding. I can never be sure which pudding she cooked when. They were both fantastic. This one is lighter in colour but still generously fruited and gently spiced, it sits somewhere between a nursery pudding and a festive one. Steamed slowly and served hot with cream, it is comfort food in the truest sense.
Servings 8
Equipment
- 1 1.2–1.5 litre pudding basin with lid or foil cover
- Large saucepan or stockpot with trivet
Ingredients
- 30 g sago
- 250 ml milk full-cream plus a little extra
- 85 g butter
- 110 g brown sugar
- 60 g breadcrumbs soft, white and firmly packed
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- dark rum
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- 1 egg large and lightly beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup mixed fruit
Instructions
- Soak the fruit. Place the dried fruit in a large bowl and cover generously with rum (or brandy if you prefer). Soak for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Drain lightly before using (reserve soaking liquid if you wish to feed the pudding later).1 cup mixed fruit, dark rum
- Scald the milk. Heat the milk in a saucepan until just below boiling. Remove from the heat.250 ml milk
- Soak the sago. Stir the sago into the hot milk along with the butter and brown sugar. Add the vanilla, rum, and mixed spice. Set aside for 10 minutes, allowing the sago to soften and the butter to melt.30 g sago, 85 g butter, 110 g brown sugar, dark rum, ½ tsp mixed spice
- Add remaining ingredients. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in a little extra milk. Stir this into the mixture along with the breadcrumbs. Fold in the beaten egg, then the dried fruit.60 g breadcrumbs, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 egg, ½ tsp vanilla essence, 1 cup mixed fruit
- Prepare for steaming. Grease the pudding basin well. Spoon in the mixture, level the surface, and cover securely with a lid or baking paper and foil tied firmly.
- Steam. Place the basin in a pot of gently simmering water, ensuring the water comes halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover and steam for 2 hours, topping up with boiling water as needed.
Notes
- This pudding reheats well by re-steaming for 30–40 minutes.
- It is less rich than a traditional Christmas pudding but still unmistakably festive.
- Particularly good for those who prefer a lighter, softer-textured dessert.
Make-Ahead & Storage
This pudding is well suited to being made in advance. Once fully steamed, allow the pudding to cool completely in its basin. Remove the cover, then re-wrap the basin with a layer of baking paper followed by several layers of aluminium foil, ensuring it is well sealed. Stored in a cool, dry place, the pudding will keep for several weeks. For longer storage, it may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. To reheat, return the wrapped pudding to a saucepan and re-steam for 30–40 minutes until heated through. Serve hot with cream. While lighter than a traditional Christmas pudding, the flavour improves after a short rest, making it an ideal pudding to prepare ahead of the Christmas rush. Tags: