1. Roughly chop 100g/3.5oz dried figs, 100g/3.5oz dried apricot and 100g/3.5oz dates. Then, add them into a large mixing bowl with 150g/5.3oz sultanas. Add ¼ cup of alcohol (brandy or rum) and 1 cup water. Leave to soak overnight.

*Note – you can use any dried fruit here, just ensure the combined weight = 450g/15oz.

2. The next day add 1 grated apple, the zest of 1 orange, 100g/3.5oz self raising flour, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 100g/3.5oz coconut sugar and 3 tbsp aquafaba. Mix well.

3. Get a pudding basin and grease the inside with 1 tbsp of butter. Cut a circle of baking paper and place it in the bottom (making it non-stick). Spoon the pudding mixture in and tamp it down, making sure there are no air bumps and it is level on top.

*Note – if you cannot find/or don’t have a pudding basin, you can use a Pyrex bowl or heatproof glass bowl approximately 1 litre in size.

4. Cut a large square of baking paper and alfoil (large enough to fit over the lid of the bowl). Make a fold in the middle of both pieces of paper. Place the baking paper over the top of the bowl first, followed by the alfoil, pressing it over the edge of the bowl. (The folds in the paper allow the pudding to grow slightly in size). Tie some string tightly around the alfoil.

5. Place the pudding bowl into a larger saucepan and pour boiling water in until it covers ⅗ of the height of the bowl. Place a lid on the saucepan and cook on a low heat for 5 hours.

*Note- make sure the water level doesn’t get too low, fill it up when required.
You will know it’s cooked when you put a skewer in and it comes out clean! Leave it to cool before removing from the basin. Serve with your other Christmas dessert favourites!

Ve – Vegan
DF – Dairy Free (using dairy free butter)
GF – Gluten Free, swap self raising flour for a GF flour alternative

Nutritional Information – per slice (when cut into 8 slices)
Calories: 380kcal / 1600kJ
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrates: 90g
Fat: 1g

Fibre + Antioxidants
Don’t worry, we know this is a super sweet dessert pudding, but it is also filled with a lot of health benefits too! Research shows that dried fruit is related to helping the digestive system, supporting the microbiome and is also full of antioxidants. The high fibre content in dried fruit works wonders for your digestion. A strong and healthy digestive tract helps us fight bad bacteria, remove toxins, and absorb essential macro and micro nutrients that are the building blocks of our body. All of this creates a healthy microbiome (the trillions of microbes within our intestines and skin). The antioxidants found in dried fruit are called phenols, and research suggests they help to fight heart disease, obesity and some types of cancer. Giving us even more reasons to be jolly this Christmas season!