This is a gluten free pudding based on one of mum’s old recipes. I made it on TV this week, so quickly and it was delicious as we tucked in straight away, It can be made last minute and if you are going to store it for use later, do so in an air tight tin, pierce it with a skewer and pour a measure of your favourite liquer.

You will need:

500g dried fruit of your choice. I used yellow cherries, sultanas, figs, prunes, golden raisins, cranberries, dates)
125 g gluten free flour
75g gluten free oat flakes
75g vegetable suet
75g Brown sugar (if you are not using dates with your dried fruit increase sugar to 120g or use Stevia)
100g mixed nuts (I used pistachios and pecans)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
grated zest of 1 orange
3 eggs
1 medium cooking apple (peeled and grated)
2 tablespoons honey
1 measure liqueur of your choice plus another optional measure to add after it is baked

2 liter pudding bowl

Mixed the dried fruits and nuts together. Add the spices and mix, Add the suet, sugar and honey and rest of the ingredients leaving the eggs to add and finally the flour and baking powder. Stir together.
Pour the batter into a week greased pudding bowl. I did not even line it with greaseproof paper and it turned out very easily.

Now you can steam this for 3 hours in a Bain Marie OR you can do as I did.
Cover and placed on the middle shelf of a preheated oven at 150C and bake for an hour and 15 minutes. For the last 15 minutes, uncover.

Leave to cook and turn out of basin.
To serve either reheat in a Bain Marie to get that moister dense texture or simply cut out portions and heat covered with cling film in a microwave.
This is a last minute pudding and you would not know the difference :).