It’s getting festive outside, the Christmas markets are opening one after the other, the smell of roasted almonds is in the air and our hearts are warming up. But what about those cozy moments at home when we treat our stomachs to homemade treats and really get into the Christmas spirit? After all, the way to the heart is through the stomach. We all know the traditional vanilla crescents or Christmas stollen – and of course they taste good. But sometimes it can be something special. Especially for the upcoming festive dinners, some people want to serve their guests a dessert that they won’t forget in a hurry. We have a Christmas pudding for you that will melt in your mouth like butter. And not just any recipe, but one from Gordon Ramsay, one of the world’s most internationally renowned Michelin chefs. You think that sounds complicated? Not at all. We’ll explain step by step how you can easily recreate it at home.
For Gordon Ramsay’s lightly steamed Christmas pudding with whiskey cream, you need the following ingredients for 6-8 portions:
210g butter, softened, plus a little more for greasing
Finely grated zest of one orange
3 tbsp maple syrup, plus optionally a little more for drizzling
3 bay leaves
210 g light, soft brown sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
100 g flour with raising agent
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of fine sea salt
150 ml whipping cream (double cream)
A dash of whiskey, to taste, plus extra for flambéing
A dash of Irish cream liqueur, to taste
Preparation:
Step 1
First you need a 1.5-liter pudding dish, which you grease with butter. Then sprinkle the orange zest on the bottom and pour the maple syrup over it. Place the bay leaves in the middle and press them down lightly.
Step 2
Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, at low speed, gradually add the eggs, making sure that each portion is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Step 3
Then sift in the flour, baking powder, ground cloves and salt and carefully fold everything in with a large metal spoon.
Step 4
Now pour the mixture into the prepared pudding dish. Place a buttered piece of baking paper folded in the middle (butter side down) on top and cover with a piece of aluminum foil, also folded. Then secure everything firmly around the edge of the mold with a string.
Step 5
Then place the mold on a trivet or a small pan in a large pot. Then pour in enough boiling water to reach about halfway up the mold and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and leave the pudding to simmer gently over a low heat for 1½ hours. Check every 30 minutes or so to make sure there is still enough water in the pan and top up if necessary.
Step 6
In the meantime, prepare the whiskey cream. Whip the cream with a dash of whiskey and a dash of cream liqueur in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Then transfer the cream to a serving bowl.
Step 7
To check whether the pudding is ready, pierce the center with a wooden skewer – if it comes out clean, it is done. To turn it out, carefully loosen the edges, place a preheated serving plate on top of the hot dish and turn both together so that the pudding slides onto the plate. If desired, you can glaze it with a little extra maple syrup.
Step 8
Finally, flambé the pudding. To do this, heat some whiskey in a small pan and light it at the table with a match. Then pour over the pudding and serve with the whiskey cream. Tada!
Good luck with the preparation and bon appétit!