RooRoo wrote:
I cannot stand fruit in cake. And sultanas make me sick. Which kinda rules out traditional Christmas desserts-xmas pud, cake, mince pies and pannettone.
Every year I try mince pies, every year I gip. That pic above made me gip too.
However, Chris has always gone on about trying pannettone. Now I know there's a plain version, I might give it a go.
At wintertime in the restaurant we did this as a light alternative. Dried Apricots, chopped orange zest of choc chips can be swapped. Peoper christmas taste to them.
TUSCAN PUDDINGS serves 4
15 g (1/2 oz) 1 tbsp butter
75 g (2 3/4 oz) mixed dried fruit
250 g (9 oz) ricotta cheese
3 egg yolks
50 g (1 3/4 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, or 1/2 cinamon 1/2 nutmeg
finely grated rind of 1 orange,
plus extra to decorate creme fraiche (soured cream), to serve
method
1. Lightly grease 4 mini pudding basins or ramekin dishes with the butter.
2. Put the dried fruit in a bowl and cover with warm water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
3. Beat the ricotta cheese with the egg yolks in a bowl. Stir in the caster (superfine) sugar, cinnamon and orange rind and mix to combine.
4. Drain the dried fruit in a sieve set over a bowl. Mix the drained fruit with the ricotta cheese mixture.
5. Spoon the mixture into the basins or ramekin dishes.
6. Bake in a preheated oven, at 180C (350°F) Gas Mark 4, for 15 minutes. The tops should be firm to the touch but not brown.
7. Decorate the puddings with grated orange rind. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of creme fraiche (soured cream), if liked.
