The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Christmas Desserts

It’s the best time of the year. As the temperature dips, you’d want to embark on movie marathons or curl up in bed with books and indulge in endless cups of coffee or just simply stay at home with family. It is also the official baking season of the year—cookies, cakes, puddings—you have a valid reason to bake and dig into these traditional Christmas baked treats. But’s there’s catch, you don’t like spending time in the kitchen, We hear you! Here are two delicious yet quick and easy traditional Christmas desserts that you can bake and store for the festive season.

Plum Cake

Recipe for 2 Plum Cake of 1kg each

Ingredients

500g  Flour 

300g Butter 

6g Eggs 

300g Brown sugar 

20g Garam Masala 

520g Soaked fruits 

120g Milk 

12g Baking powder 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at a temperature of 145℃.
2. Scale the flour, baking powder and spices and mix together. 
3. Start by mixing the butter and sugar together in the mixer until it looks pale and fluffy. 
4. Gradually add the eggs and the milk.
5. Add in the dry ingredients and soaked fruits and mix well. 
6. Line the bottom of the cake ring with aluminum foil. Put 800 gm of the plum cake mix and bake at 145℃ for 35 minutes. 

 

Christmas pudding

Ingredients 

150g Boiling water

170g Rum 

240g Black currants 

185g Black raisins 

185g Sultanas 

150g Prunes 

200g Figs 

50g Brown sugar 

150g Red cherries 

250g Butter 

300g Brown sugar 

100g Chocolate 72% 

10g Vanilla extract 

150g Chopped dates 

320g Flour 

20g Cocoa Powder 

180g Eggs 

2g Baking powder 

2.5g Cinnamon powder

2.5g Garam masala 

3g Cardamom powder 

Method:

• Combine the black currants, black raisins, Sultanas, prunes, figs, brown sugar and rum in a mixing bowl. Stir well to mix, cover and leave for 24 hours to soak.
• After 24 hours, mix the flour, dates, cocoa powder, baking powder, butter, spices and eggs along with the soaked fruit mixture in a large mixing bowl. 
• Grease pudding mould with butter. Pour the pudding mixture into the moulds.
• Bake in a double boiler at 140 ℃ for 60 minutes. 
• Once the pudding is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
• Cover with cling wrap to keep it soft. 

Recipes by Chef Amit Kumar, culinary head, L'opera