There are many people now that need to have a Gluten-free and dairy-free diet and with Christmas coming up very soon now we thought that we would bring you Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding recipes that are simple to make and delicious.
They will keep for a month in an airtight container or they can be frozen and thawed out the day before.
Gluten-Free Christmas Cake
Ingredients
175g Raisins
175g Currants or Sultanas
175g Chopped Pitted Prunes
100g Glace Cherries halved
100g Candied Peel chopped
9fl oz Rum, Whisky, Brandy or Orange Juice
100g Buckwheat Flour
100g Brown or White Rice Flour
(Or 200g of Gluten-Free Plain Flour)
4tsp Gluten-Free Baking Powder
175g Dairy Free Margarine
Or Butter if non-dairy diet
175g Dark Brown Sugar
4 Beaten Eggs
2tsp Mixed Spice
2tsp Cinnamon
85g Stem Ginger drained and Chopped (Optional)
Method
Soak the fruit in the rum or other liquid overnight keeping it covered.
Preheat the oven to Fan 130C or Gas Mark 2.
Grease and line a deep 20cms round cake tin with baking parchment.
Mixed together the flours and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl beat together the margarine or butter and the sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the beaten eggs and flour mixture, stir in the soaked fruit and liquid. Add the spices and ginger (if used) and stir. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level with the back of a spoon.
Bake on the middle shelf for 2 and a half – 3 hours. To test if the cake is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, it will come out clean if the cake is cooked.
Cool the cake for one hour in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Decorate the cake as required either by using fresh or dried fruit or marzipan and Icing.
This cake will keep for up to a month, it can be frozen until required.
Now we have the Christmas Cake we need the Christmas Pudding – Gluten Free of course. Below is a quick and easy recipe that will keep for up to a week in a cool place.
Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas Pudding
Ingredients
175g Raisins
17g Sultanas
50g Glace Cherries halved
85g Candied Peel
50g Blanched Almonds chopped
100g Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
100g Shredded Vegetarian Suet
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1tsp Ground Mixed Spice
1tsp Ground Nutmeg
3 Eggs
Zest and Juice of 1 Orange
Zest of I Lemon
5 tbs Brandy or Rum
Sunflower oil for greasing
Method
Put the dried fruit, cherries, peel, almonds, gluten free breadcrumbs, suet and spices into a bowl and mixed together. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy, then stir into the dry ingredients. Add the orange zest and juice, the lemon zest, and the Brandy or Rum. The mixture should be soft and drop off the spoon.
Spoon the mixture into a generously oiled one litre pudding bowl and smooth over the top. Cover first with baking parchment and then with oiled foil double folded in the center. Secure with string.
Stand the pudding bowl on an inverted saucer, or a piece of foil folded four times, in a very large pan. Fill halfway up the sides of the bowl with just boiled water, cover the pan with a lid or foil and steam for four and a half hours. Top up with boiling water whenever necessary – never allow to boil dry. Alternatively, cook the pudding in a Slow Cooker or Steamer.
When cooked, lift the bowl out of the pan and allow to cool. Store in a cool dark place for up to a week. To reheat, replace the old foil with new and steam for 1 and a half to 2 hours before serving.