Plum Puddings with Custard (Paleo & SCD)

I'm SO excited right now!  My Christmas Puddings and custard are amazing! :)  Happy dance happening here. :)
Before I had to change my diet, my signature Christmas dish was this Chocolate Plum Pudding.  I've been making it for years and it's delicious.  So the challenge this year was to come up with something just as scrumptious that fits into my new SCD/Paleo lifestyle.  The wonderful part of the old recipe was the 200 grams of dark chocolate that was mixed through the dried fruit.  So in this version I've used a lot of cacao butter to add a chocolatey richness to the fruit and spices.
I must admit, this is the first time I've ever made custard from scratch.  In the old days, I used custard powder; so easy!  Who knew making real custard was so simple and delicious?  Custard is my new favourite food. :)
I think you can tell, I'm a little bit happy with this recipe.  It's so wonderful that my family will be eating this for Christmas dessert this year.  It truly is as good as the original. Yay!
Enjoy, and Merry Christmas everyone! xx

Before baking.

Plum Puddings
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hr 10 mins
Makes 12 muffin size puddings

Ingredients:
1 cup dried dates
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup sultanas
1/2 cup whiskey
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
2 teaspoons mixed spice (cinnamon, nutmeg & all spice)
1/2 cup cacao butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut flour


Instructions:

• Chop the dried fruit into small pieces.
• Soak the dried fruit in the whiskey and orange juice overnight.  (If running short on time, just microwave for 3 mins instead.)
• Stir in the bicarb soda and mixed spice.
• Melt cacao butter and coconut oil in the microwave and add it to the fruit mixture along with the honey.  Mix well.
• Beat the eggs then add to the mixture, mixing well again. :)
• Finally, sift the coconut flour and stir through the mixture.  Give it a good mix.
• Grease a 12 hole muffin tin with coconut oil then divide mixture evenly between them.
• Put the muffin tray into a larger baking tray with enough hot water to come half way up the muffin pans.
• 
  Cover the tray with baking paper and then foil, pressing it under the edges to seal well.Bake in a 180 degree Celsius (350F) oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

(Be careful putting this in and out of the oven, all that boiling water is dangerous!)

• Remove the foil and baking paper and use a spatula to remove from the tin if eating immediately or cool in the pans if eating later.

  

  After baking.

• These will keep well due to the fruit, oils and whiskey, but I'm keeping mine in the freezer so they won't get eaten before Christmas Day. :)

Thanks to Teresa Cutter for the idea on how to cook these.

Coconut Milk Custard 
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup honey
2 egg yolks

Optional- 
1 Tablespoon whiskey or vanilla or nutmeg to taste.

Instructions:

• In a small saucepan, whisk together coconut milk and honey.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks.
• Heat the saucepan of milk & honey over a medium heat until it gets quite warm but not boiling. 
• Turn the heat down to LOW.
• Pour about half a cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking them as you pour.
• Then add the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking briskly as you do so.
• Continue to whisk for 2-5 minutes until the mixture thickens.  Make sure you use a low heat and whisk all the time.
• It's done when it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Stir in brandy, vanilla or nutmeg if you like.  
• Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap so a skin won't form on the top.  Store in the fridge.

NOTES:  If you prefer, you could make one large pudding and boil on the stove in the traditional way.

Have you seen my other Christmas treats?  Vanilla Shortbread, Coconut Flour Shortbread and Fruit Mince Slice. 

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