Quickie-Sticky-Fruity-Figgy-Pudding!

"Pudding Inglese" Veloce, con Fichi, Mandarini Cinese e Albicocca
Quick Gingerbread Pudding with Fig, Apricot and Cumquats

Yes, the line with the "figgy-pudding" in everybody's favorite Christmas carol, gets me every time too! What IS a figgy pudding?!?! Like anyone knows! Well, if you look it up, there are in fact many traditional English steamed puddings with figs... it is that time of the year! But a steamed pudding is a complicated and timely affair... unless you get created and make a fake version... a little something like this!

I used a store-bought ginger cake- the kind of thing you would have for breakfast- a simple loaf with honey and a little ginger in it... a classic "ginger bread" if you like. I cut the sticky loaf into slices, cut the slices into cubes, and filled about 1 coffee-mug full of them into a bowl. This will make a pudding of 2 generous servings. I then poured a little warm milk over it, just to moisten it slightly and then beat it with a wooden spoon until it became a smooth paste. I added 1 egg and about a half mug of coconut flakes, some cinnamon and a little powdered ginger. I added a little Cointreau to that (which you can leave out if you are making this for children), but rum would also have been nice. And then I gave it a beating!

Whisk until smooth and add 3 teaspoons of baking powder. Whisk again and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes whilst you butter your baking dish. I also was bright enough to flour mine this time- duh! I really am more of a cook than a baker!

Once you have poured it into you baking dish, add the figs, cumquats and apricots... you could also use any other fruits, or add nuts and raisins- but I just like the look of these and the combination went really well!

Into a pre-heated oven it went, for 25-30 minutes at 180°C. And the apartment soon started to smell divine... hot gingerbread- yummy! It is best to eat this hot- just as you would an English pudding... and a hot (or cold) custard would really take this thing off the charts! As you can see from the picture... the fig softens up and becomes lovely and syrupy and sticky... mmm! And with the smooth apricot and the tangy cumquat- it is really a great combination... and one I hope you will enjoy as much as I did!