This Chocolate Orange Pudding would be a great alternative to a traditional dried fruit pudding. The chocolate orange has become an integral part of our Christmas traditions and the contrast between the rich chocolate and the slight sharpness of the orange work really well together.
I used a Mermaid two pint pudding basin (RRP £15.99) to make this pudding, it’s a really solid basin which you can use for steaming or baking puddings. It would be good for baking pudding shaped novelty cakes.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 3 oranges
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 125 g muscovado sugar
- 150 ml milk
- 100 g self-raising flour
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 g melted butter
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp orange esscence optional but intensifies the flavour
For the orange sauce
- 100 g caster sugar
- 225 ml water
- segments from the remaining orange
- 1 tbsp brandy optional
Instructions
- Butter a 2 pint/1.4 litre pudding basin and put a circle of baking paper in the base of the basin.
- Cut 2 of the oranges into round slices (don't use the ends), put them in a pan and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes to blanch them. Drain on kitchen paper. Arrange in the base and around the sides of the pudding basin.
- In a bowl, mix the cocoa and sugar with a little milk until smooth, then add the rest of the milk..
- Zest the third orange and stir into the mixture with the orange essence, breadcrumbs, melted butter and egg yolk.
- Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda and fold into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the pudding basin.
- Make a lid for the pudding basin: lay out a piece of foil and top it with a piece of baking parchment, make a pleat in the middle and lay it over the pudding basin, pressing it over and around the rim.
- Take a piece of string and make a slip knot, place the loop over the pudding basin and tighten. Make a handle with the string so it is easy to lift into and out of the pot.
- Place the basin on an upturned saucer or trivet in a large pan half filled with water.
- Bring the water to the boil then simmer with the lid on for 1 1/2 hours, checking every 30 minutes to make sure it doesn't boil dry.
- Lift the basin from the pan and remove the foil lid.
- Run a knife carefully around the inside of the basin and turn the pudding out onto a plate.
- Serve the pudding with custard or cream and a spoonful of the orange sauce.
For the sauce
- Place the sugar and water in a pan, gently heat the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Remove from the heat and add the orange segments, leave to cool for 5 minutes, add the brandy and chill the orange sauce.
I have to say that this was a total triumph! The pudding slid perfectly out of the Mermaid Pudding Baisin and the breadcrumbs in the pudding made it light and airy, but with a rich chocolate taste. This was perfectly contrasted with the sharp zesty taste of the oranges.
I received the Mermaid Pudding Basin, I was not paid to write this post and all opinions are my own.
Meanwhile… Janice makes a bloody amazing pudding. Chocolate orange is fabulous and a firm favourite of mine. It looks stunning too!
Thanks Dom, it was bloody amazing, though I say it myself!
That is absolutely spectacular Janice. i love the oranges so boldly on show.
Janice this is brilliant!!! What a fantastic, inspired twist on a traditional favourite. Love, love, love!
What an amazing pudding…you could be taking on Heston with this one…give it a few weeks and you could sell it on ebay for £80! 😉 A really nice twist and very striking with the orange slices 🙂
Oh look at this orange pudding. It looks fantastic. I will try it!!!
I hope you saved a piece for me Janice as this looks absolutely delicious – I made a fruit pudding for Kenwood Christmas menu last week with clementines on the outside, it looks great that way, but, I must admit to lusting after your chocolate version now! Stunning! Karen
I love the combination of chocolate and orange – this looks amazing. I'd love to try it.