Winter Cranberry Pudding – Christmas Dessert Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients:

500g cranberries 2 pears peeled cored and chopped 200g light soft brown sugar 75g dried cranberries (or raisins) grated zest of one orange 400ml cranberry juice 1 cinnamon stick 10-12 thick slices of good white bread

Method:

Place everything except the bread in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil. Keep simmering until the sugar dissolves. Then cover and let boil for an hour until the cranberries soften. Strain over a sieve reserving the liquid.

Cut the crusts off the bread and one by one dip each slice quickly into the cranberry liquid. Use about six slices to line the base and sides of a 1 litre pudding basin. Patch up any holes with the extra bread. Fill the centre of the pudding basin with the cranberry mixture packing down well. Trim the remaining slices of bread to fit the top. Dip these quickly in the liquid then place on top. Again patch up any gaps with soaked bread pieces. Cover with clingfilm and place on a plate. Place a saucer or plate on top and weigh down (a couple of tins works well). Refrigerate overnight.

To serve carefully turn out the pudding onto a serving dish. Serve in wedges topped with thick cream.