The Easy No-Cook Chocolate Pudding made with a Mason Cash Pudding Bowl
How many times over the years have you thought “that Christmas pudding would’ve been perfect if only it had a little chocolate in it”? I know I have, every time.
Christmas Pudding, as we know it, originates from the Victorian era. It calls for suet (what?) and steam cooks for hours. Our ways of eating and cooking have changed a lot since those days – we have become chocoholics for one! To be honest, the rich and deep flavours of Christmas pudding go perfectly hand in hand with chocolate.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the tradition of starting to soak your dried fruits months in advance, especially as these recipes are usually passed down from generation to generation, but let’s face it – in September I am not getting my Christmas game on. And October as we all know is a write off trying to pick the best Halloween costume. Christmas tends to sneak up on you in the same way your 7 year wedding anniversary does.
So I vote to keep the basics of the tradition but modernise Christmas pudding in all the best ways – by adding chocolate and drastically reducing prep time! Ironically this ‘new and improved pudding’ looks exactly like the traditional ones of Christmasses past with the oozing white glaze (made from white chocolate in this instance).
To make this festive pudding, I used the Mason Cash Pudding Bowl and my gorgeous Cherry Red Mixing Bowl. The quirky, vintage-inspired Mason Cash range always makes cooking fun.
I made Double Choc Chip Cherry Ripe Cookies in the Mason Cash Mixing Bowl. Get the recipe here.
No-Cook Chocolate Christmas Pudding Recipe
This Cheat’s Christmas pudding can be prepared a few hours before serving (or up to 3 days in advance). The same rich fruitiness and moist cake texture is improved with the flavour of chocolate. One huge change: no steaming or cooking required!
Prep time: 1 Hour | Setting time: 2 hours (up to 3 days)| Serves: 12
Ingredients:
For the Pudding:- ½ Cup (125ml) Brandy, Port or Sherry
- Zest and Juice of 1 Whole Orange
- 100g Mixed Dried Fruit such as Sultanas, Cranberries and/or Dried Apricots
- 60g Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch salt
- 75g Mixed Dried Peel
- 100g prunes, chopped
- 100g Glace Cherries, chopped (one reserved for the top)
- 100g Mixed Chopped Nuts, such as Brazil, Pecan, Almonds
- 400g Store-Bought Chocolate Sponge Cake, crumbled
- 100g Dark Chocolate Chips
- For the White Chocolate Glaze:
- 100g White Chocolate
- 2 Tbsp Milk
Instructions
1. Finely chop the 100g mixed dried fruit in the fruit processor and then place with the alcohol in a saucepan on medium heat until the mixture is bubbling. Mix in the butter, orange zest salt and spices turn off the heat. Let this sit for 5 minutes to allow the fruit pieces to soak.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the other ingredients for the pudding. Pour in the alcohol and fruit mixture and toss well to mix everything together.
3. Line a 1.5L pudding basin with overlapping cling film (or you can use beeswax wraps to be eco-friendly). Add the ingredients to the basin and press down. Fold over the cling film to cover the top and add some weights (cans or books on a plate, for ex.) on top to press down. Let this set in the fridge for 2 hours (up to 3 days ahead).
This rich yummy Christmas chocolate pudding is so easy to make ahead and can be refrigerated. Prep it on Christmas Eve, then pop them on Christmas Day - try it!
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