The Great British Pudding Challenge – Cranberry & White Chocolate Pudding

Cranberry & White Chocolate Pudding in all it's glory

This is our second challenge for “The Great British Pudding Challenge” the choice of pudding is very fitting for the festive season and very decedent. I knew I couldn’t wait to make this month’s pudding after reading all the wonderful ingredients in the recipe, I was totally sold and hell bent on making this ASAP.

I started with the cranberry sauce early in the morning knowing it had to cool before making the sponge mixture. I had my own orange marmalade, which I made earlier in the year and I used this in the cranberry fruity sauce. For the sponge, of course my choice of chocolate had to be Green & Blacks not forgetting to add that little extra festive touch of Cointreau liqueur.

Showing the texture of the pudding

The sponge I found was very light in texture with the flavours of orange, chocolate entwined through to a wonderfully medley of cranberry and orange fruity topping. I decided to take the flavours through for an orange and white chocolate sauce for serving with the pudding.

How good was the outcome I hear you ask? Let me say, not one crumb of pudding or sauce was left of the family’s plates. I think this must speak volumes in the judgment stakes and I urge you to try out this pudding for yourself, I know you will not be disappointed at all with the outcome.

The more the merrier to take the challenge and you would be very welcome to join in my quest to “Keep The Great British Pudding Alive”.

Cranberry & White Chocolate Pudding with Orange & White Chocolate Sauce

The Great British Pudding Challenge - Cranberry & White Chocolate Pudding

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients
6 tbsp fine-shred marmalade
Zest and juice of 1 orange
110g (4 oz) fresh cranberries
110g (4 oz), plus 1 tbsp caster sugar
110g (4 oz) very soft unsalted butter, and little extra for greasing the bowl
2 large eggs, beaten
110g (4 oz) self-raising flour, sieved
1 tbsp Cointreau, orange liqueur
75g (3 oz) white chocolate, grated

Method

You will need a 900g (2 lb) pudding basin, well greased and the bottom lined with a circle of greaseproof paper. Greased greaseproof paper and foil to cover the top of the basin and a little string to secure the paper and foil.
Place a steamer on to boil and then lower to a simmer in readiness for cooking the pudding.

Firstly start with the cranberry fruity sauce. In a saucepan add the orange marmalade half of the orange zest and juice with the cranberries and 1 tablespoon of caster sugar. Simmer for about 1 minute and allow to cool a little and spoon into the bottom of the pudding basin.

For The Sponge. In a mixing bowl, add the butter and the remaining sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time until all combined. Gently fold in the flour then add the Cointreau, orange liqueur, remaining orange zest and juice, fold gently through. Lastly add the chocolate and fold through gently. Spoon the sponge mixture into the basin on top of the cranberry fruity sauce, filling it three-quarters full and with a spoon level the top.

Make a circle large enough to fold a pleat in the middle to place on top of the pudding, leaving enough to come down the sides, do the same with the foil too. After placing the greaseproof paper and foil on top of the pudding basin, tie string around the top half of the basin and secure tightly, then take the string over the top of the pudding tying down to make a handle to lift the pudding out. Place the pudding into the steamer and steam for 2 hours, do not let the steamer boil dry and replenish the water as necessary.You could serve this pudding with custard, ice cream, whipped cream the choice is yours.

My recipe for the orange & white chocolate sauce

Ingredients
275ml(½ pint) whole milk
2tbsp golden syrup
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1tbsp Cointreau (orange liqueur)
25g (1 oz) white chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 tbsp cornflour

Method

In a small jug add the cornflour and 3 tablespoons of the milk and make into a paste, then put to one side.

In a saucepan add the remaining milk, zest and juice from the orange and golden syrup. Place on the stove on a medium heat stirring all the time to melt the syrup into the milk, then bring to just below boiling point and take off the heat. Add the white chocolate and Cointreau stirring until the chocolate has melted then add the cornflour mixture stirring again into the hot milk. Place back onto the heat to thicken the sauce stirring all the time. When the sauce has thickened take of the heat and serve with the Cranberry & White Chocolate Pudding.