Christmas Dessert: Butterscotch Pudding with Prunes and Walnuts and a Whisky Sauce

It has been quite a very sweet month as December always is. There are always nibbles of a cookie here and morsels of a stollen there and regardless of all the good intentions it’s so difficult to resist. However, we have been careful and although there are some indulgences - it is Christmas after all - on whole we are nourishing ourselves well and very balanced.

Thanks to the very mild temperatures and sunny weather we have been fairly active outdoors too. It feels very unusual to be dressed so lightly at this time of year but with temperatures between 10 and 16 degrees C it feels more like early spring rather than the middle of winter!

Even those old and trusted Christmas songs on the radio feel slightly out of place. Nonetheless there is still enough of Christmas spirit around us. The Christmas markets are sparkling with wonderful baubles and the air is perfumed with the sweet scent of spiced Glühwein and people are still mostly filled with a happy demeanour

The stores are as expected jam packed! I am relieved that all our shopping and groceries are done. My menu for Christmas day is complete and a few presents just need wrapping. We bought our magnificent Christmas tree on Monday and today we will be dressing it with baubles, sparkles and tinsel. I would say we are ready for Christmas 2015!

On Christmas Day Tom’s entire family will be here and I again have the honor of cooking up what probably is the most important meal in the year! There will be venison in a sour cherry and glühwein sauce, spiced sautéed red cabbage, brussel sprout with dried cherry and bacon, semmelknödel soufflé (German bread dumplings in soufflé form) and of course there will be dessert.

Ending the meal on a high note is always a luscious dessert and when it comes to dessert there is an incredible variety here on What’s for lunch, Honey? What can I say I have a bit of a sweet tooth and love spoiling my guests with sweet sensations after a good meal. A classic crepe Suzette is a wonderful highlight to any meal, or tropical flavors of this coconut panna cotta with mangoes and passion fruit maybe this light and fluffy Black Forest pavlova, even this chocolate espresso sponge pudding is luscious. I can treat you to many sweet surprises. Today, I have something that really will make those sweet tastebuds bloom to new highs.

A Christmas pudding bursting with buttery toffee taste and a hint of whisky for a bold character. Walnuts and prunes add a moist and nutty touch to this bombastic dessert.

Recipe: Butterscotch Pudding with Prunes and Walnuts and a Whisky Sauce

Print Recipe

By Meeta K. Wolff
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 50 g unsalted butter, softened
• 260 g coconut blossom sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds only
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 225 g all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 300 ml milk, lukewarm
• 50 g walnuts, chopped
• 50 g stoned prunes
• 85 g butter
• 85 g muscovado sugar
• 200 ml cream
• 2-3 teaspoons whisky

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease either a 20cm square baking tin or a couple of enamel baking pans.
2. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla seeds together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix together the baking powder, flour and bicarbonate of soda. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
3. Gently mix half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, followed by half of the eggs, then fold in the remainder of the dry ingredients and eggs. Mix just enough to bring everything together - do not over mix the batter or the pudding will be heavy.
4. Stir in the milk, walnuts and prunes. The batter will be rather runny. Pour into the prepared baking tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out clean.
5. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
6. While the pudding is baking make the whisky sauce by melting 80g butter and 80g sugar together in a small pan over a medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Pour in the cream, bring back to the boil then stir in whisky, to taste. Serve wedges of the warm pudding with the hot whisky sauce and dollops of whipped cream (optional).

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Verdict

I won’t keep you long I know you now want to hurry off to the kitchen and get this butterscotch pudding into the oven. But just a massive hug from me to you and all my very best wishes to you all. Hope you keep your nerves strong this Christmas, enjoy lavish meals with your family and friends, relax and may the Christmas spirit bring you warmth, happiness and expandable waists ;) Wishing you all a very safe, healthy and grand start to the New Year 2016! I will see you all on the other side.

xo

More Christmas sweetness from What’s for lunch, Honey?:

Fennel Seed and Cardamom Spiced Carrot Rice Pudding	Muscovado Sugar Pumpkin and Apple Pecan Crumble	Spiced Advocaat Custard

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