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Solstice pudding

From The Peoples Cook Book (book slide)
Suz Evasdaughter has devised this really fruity spiced dessert that looks great and is quick and easy to make

Solstice pudding

Method

1. For the solstice pudding: Chop the dried fruit into small pieces and put in a bowl with the sultanas and orange zest and juice. Add enough water to cover, stir to mix and leave to soak overnight. Put the brazil nuts and whole almonds in a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak overnight as well. Rinse the nuts and drain well.

2. Grind the cardamom seeds using a pestle and mortar. Add the ground cardamom to the soaked fruit and juices, together with the soaked nuts and all the remaining ingredients, except the ground almonds. Stir to mix well, and remember to make a wish as you stir.

3. Spoon the mixture into a glass pudding bowl and sprinkle the ground almonds over the top.

4. For the nut cream: put the cashew nuts in a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for 4 hours. Put the dates in a separate bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for 2 hours.

5. Drain the nuts and dates and put them in a food processor or blender with the orange zest and 2-3 tablespoons of the juice. Process to form a smooth paste, about the consistency of thick double cream. Serve the solstice pudding with the nut cream spooned alongside.

Cook's note: the solstice pudding can also be put into dehydrator sheets (special non-stick liners) and into a dehydrator for a few hours so it becomes firm and can be cut into pieces - like flap jack squares. To serve it like this, Suz puts the mixture in a baking tray, sprinkles over the ground almonds and leaves it on top of an Aga where it gently dehydrates over night then cuts it into squares.

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Serves: 9-10

Prep: 20 min, plus overnight soaking

Ingredients

For the solstice pudding

350g mixed dried fruit, such as figs, dates, apricots, prunes and sultanas
2 Oranges, finely grated zest and juice
80g brazil nuts
1 heaped tsp cardamom seeds, (husks removed)
1 heaped tsp ground Cinnamon
5 cm piece Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 large Carrots, coarsely grated
2 cooking Apples, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
1/2 lemon, juice only
1 tsp freshly ground Nutmeg
1 tsp almond essence
160g ground Almonds
80g whole Almonds
1 tsp essence of orange