Cabinet Pudding
A pudding coming in many versions and sometimes under different names - but originating in France where it's called 'Poudin a la chanceliere'. Usually made with crystallised fruits placed in the bottom of a mould and filled with layers of sponge fingers (or macaroons) soaked in liqueur and bavarois with glace cherries, or currants and sultanas.
Serves 4:
Ingredients
- 2oz/60gr Glacé Cherries, halved
- 10 small pieces of Angelica, cut into diamond shapes
- 3 Trifle Sponges
- 1oz/30gr crusted Amaretti Biscuits
- 2oz/60gr Crystallised Mixed Peel
- 15 fl oz/¾ pint/400ml Milk
- 2 medium Eggs
- 1oz/30gr Caster Sugar
- ½ teaspoon/2ml Vanilla Essence (not Vanilla flavouring)
- 2 teaspoons/60ml Orange Flower Water
- A little Butter for greasing
For the Sauce:
- 2 medium Egg Yolks
- 2oz/60mg Caster Sugar
- ½ teaspoon/2mg Cornflour or Arrowroot
- 2 fl oz/50ml dry Sherry or Grand Marnier
Method
- Lightly-butter the pudding basin, then line it with the silicon paper.
- Arrange half the glace cherry halves (round-side-down) and the angelica diamonds neatly on the base.
- Cut the sponges into small pieces and mix them in with the crumbled amaretti biscuits.
- Mix this mixture with the remaining glace cherries and the candied mixed peel.
- Put this mixture into the pudding basin.
- Heat the milk until hot, but not boiling. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar together, then add a little of the hot milk - while continuing to whisk.
- Add the vanilla essence , followed by the remainder of the milk - while continuing to whisk.
- Continue until the custard thickens a little - then pour it over the fruit mixture. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
- Cover the basin with the extra silicon paper, and tie this on with string.
- Place the basin in the heatproof casserole, and pour in enough boiling water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides.
- Cover, then place on a low heat and steam for an hour, topping up with more boiling water if necessary.
- Remove from the heat and cool before placing the pudding basin in the fridge.
- About 20 minutes before you wish to serve the pudding.
Sauce
- Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, in the top of a double saucepan,. until the mixture is thick and pale..
- Dissolve the cornflour in the Sherry or Grand Marnier, then add this to the egg mixture, whisking as you do so.
- Bring some water in the lower half of the double saucepan to the boil, then turn the heat to low.
- Put the sauce over the top, and whisk constantly for 6-8 minutes or until the sauce is thick and creamy.
Turn out the pudding, with help of a palette knife, and pour a little of the sauce over. Serve the remainder of the sauce in a jug.