Warm, comforting and packed with seasonal flavour, this Steamed Winter Citrus Pudding by Chef Hlalefang Mzingwane of Kitchen360 is the perfect cold-weather dessert. Fragrant with citrus and warming spices, and served with a rich syrup, custard or cream, it’s a delicious way to bring a little sunshine to winter days.
For the pudding: 4 large eggs, 2 tablespoons of apricot jam, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of full cream milk, ½ cup of melted butter or margarine and the zest of half a medium-sized orange for flavour.
Dry ingredients: 3½ cups of cake flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda, 3 teaspoons of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of allspice (optional) and a pinch of salt.
Citrus steaming syrup: 1 cup of sugar, 500ml of orange juice (freshly squeezed or store-bought), 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence, and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.
Method
- Prepare the pudding batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, apricot jam, brown sugar, melted butter and milk until smooth and well combined. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and allspice. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Add the salt and orange zest and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Make the citrus syrup
In a large, deep pot, combine the sugar, orange juice, water, vanilla essence and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Steam the pudding
Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, carefully drop spoonfuls of the pudding batter directly into the simmering citrus syrup. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook gently for approximately 30 minutes, or until the pudding is cooked through and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Avoid lifting the lid unnecessarily during cooking, as this may affect the steaming process.
To serve, ladle the warm pudding into serving bowls and spoon over the fragrant citrus syrup. Serve immediately with warm vanilla custard, freshly whipped cream, or a scoop of quality vanilla ice cream.
Pro tip: Chef says this pudding can also be adapted for quicker or individual preparation. For a faster method, the batter may be placed in a suitable pudding basin or heatproof dish and steamed in a pressure cooker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until cooked through. For individual portions, she suggests dividing the batter between greased ramekins and baking or steaming them in a water bath (bain-marie). The ramekins should be placed in a deep baking tray, filled halfway with hot water, loosely covered with foil, and cooked until set. This gentle steaming method ensures a beautifully moist, tender pudding every time.
Compiled by Gypseenia Lion
