Stokes Sauces: Non-Christmas Puddings - something lighter for dessert

Puddings for the lighter appetite

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/special-collections-and-gift-packs/festive-foodie-collection

Not everybody likes the traditional Christmas Pudding - too heavy, too rich, too much after such a large roast and extraordinary trimmings.

We have looked for and found some lighter alternatives. They are lighter on the palate, aromatically cleansing and have a twist of Christmas cheer.

What's more exciting is that these tasty treats each use the Cranberry Sauce or Seville Orange Marmalade, or both, from our new and exclusive Stokes Festive Foodie Collection - here.

Marmalade Ice Cream
with Italian Panettone

There's a lot of Panettone around at this time of year. Tear up about 100 g of any you have leftover, cover it well with 3 or 4 tbsp of caster sugar and grill it until the sugar caramelises.

While this is cooling, whip 400 ml of cream to soft peaks and add 1 tsp of vanilla paste. Crumble and stir in the cooled Panettone. In a freezer proof container, spoon 2 tbsp of the Panettone cream followed by 1 tbsp of Stokes Seville Orange Marmalade, repeating four times (4 good tbsp of marmalade). Freeze.

Give it ten minutes on the side before serving this deliciously refreshing dessert.

More Non-Christmas Pudding

Marmalade Upside Down Cake

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4.

Peel and thinly slice 1 or 2 oranges (blood oranges give a particularly attractive end result) and marinate them in Grand Marnier (or a cheaper brandy and sugar mixture).

Line and grease a round baking dish fitting the marinated orange slices into the base. Warm 100 g of our Seville Orange Marmalade and 75 g of Cranberry Sauce in a pan and pour it over the oranges. Leave this to cool whilst making the sponge.

Beat 110 g of butter together with 110 g of Muscovado sugar. Separately, mix 150 g of self-raising flour with a gentle touch of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg (one teaspoon of all four will give the cake sufficient 'Christmas' - add more to taste), a pinch of salt and 1 tsp of baking powder.

To the butter mixture add an egg with 2 tbsp of the flour mixture, beating it in well. Repeat with a second egg (2 eggs in total). Fold the remaining flour mixture into the butter mixture with 3 tbsp of orange juice.

Spoon the batter over the orange base and bake for 35 minutes. Cool, remove, flip (orange side up) and serve with cream.

Cranberry & Orange Brioche Pudding

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4.

For the custard, heat 600 ml of milk with a vanilla pod until it just boils. Meanwhile mix 3 egg yolks, 25 g of caster sugar and 2 tsp of cornflour to a smooth paste.

Pour the milk into the paste and mix well before straining the mixture back into the pan. Add 4 tbsp of Stokes Cranberry Sauce and simmer very gently until it begins to thicken.

Firmly push 6 to 8 brioche rolls (halved) into a casserole dish so that they sit snugly together. Pour over half the custard and let it settle.

Scatter with a handful of cranberries or blueberries and equally spread with 4 tbsp of our Seville Orange Marmalade. Pour over the rest of the custard then leave it to absorb all the ingredients for an hour or so then bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Serve it with cream, ice cream or more custard.

Stokes Festive Foodie Collection