Tropical fruit Christmas pudding with brandy, lime and ginger syrup

There was a time (early 70s) when dates were a Christmas novelty. The grown-ups would pass them around on a polystyrene platter, carefully and proudly - as if they were passing round the divine infant himself. Then, their faces would crinkle with increasing frustration as they tried to prize the squished dates from the said polystyrene with a miniature, and very inadequate, plastic fork. Aged 6, I confess I was far more interested in ways I could put the tiny fork to good use in my little farmyard set rather than eating rows of odd-looking dried, brown fruit.

Now you can get your hands on dried fruit that is a lot more exotic - pineapple, papaya, kiwi. Maybe one day we will look back at mango dipped in dark chocolate with the same nostalgia as dates with tiny inadequate forks, Love Actually or the sixpence hidden inside a Christmas pudding.

Making the Christmas pudding in advance takes a level of organisation that is rare in this household (please see the story of the Advent chocolates). Traditionally Christmas Puddings are made on the last Sunday before advent - called Stir up Sunday. You could make this in November and it will keep well until Christmas. Make the syrup just before serving. But if you are looking for something that is last minute, super quick and easy, without any cooking whatsoever and virtually no effort, then look no further. It gets added bonus points for being dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan-friendly too - and there are no dates in it.

INGREDIENTS

135g/1 and 1/3 cup dried pineapple
135g /1 and 1/3 cup dried mango
135g /1 and 1/3 cup dried bananas
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brandy
90g/2 cups coconut flakes (not desiccated coconut)
100g/1 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon chopped stem ginger
55g/½ cup pecans, chopped

LIME AND GINGER SYRUP

2 tablespoons agave syrup
2 tablespoons stem ginger syrup from the jar
2 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon brandy
1 teaspoon lime zest

METHOD

Put 100g grams of each of the pineapple, mango and bananas in a bowl, reserving the rest for later.

Pour the lime juice and brandy over the fruit and toss. Leave to marinade for 5 minutes.

In a food processor, grind the coconut flakes with the ground almond and spices, vanilla and lime zest until it is broken down into crumbs. Add the marinated dried fruit including the liquid to the food processor and pulse until it combines. It should form a breadcrumb like consistency and should stick together if you pinch it.

Finely chop the remaining dried fruit into small pieces. Pour the mixture from the food processor into a bowl and add the cut dried fruit pieces, stem ginger and chopped pecans. Stir to combine well. Press firmly into a pudding basin lined with cling film and turn onto a plate.

To make the syrup, whisk all the ingredients together. Pour over the pudding to serve.

If you want to add a bit more raw Christmas sparkle, let me tell you about this seasonal ‘must-have.’ The The Perfect Raw Christmas Plan contains a step by step guide to make Christmas easier – find out what can be made ahead and what can be frozen plus quick tips, chef cheats, a downloadable shopping list and 26 recipes to take you from Christmas Eve through to Party Time. Recipes include Christmas pudding ice cream bombe, nut roast roulade and even a black forest gateau.

This way to the Black Forest Gateau