Delia's Steamed Panettone Pudding & Eliza Acton's Hot Punch Sauce

Name: Delia's Steamed Panettone Pudding & Eliza Acton's Hot Punch Sauce
Prep time: THMS
Cook time: THMS
Ingredients: For the steamed Panettone Pudding:; 300g traditional Panettone; 175g dried mixed fruit, soaked in 3 tbsp. rum overnight; 50g whole almonds with their skins left on; 50g candied peel, finely chopped; 1 orange, grated zest; 2 lemons, grated zest; 50g molasses sugar; 275ml milk; 150ml double cream; 3 large eggs; For Eliza Action's Hot Punch Sauce:; 1 large orange; 1 lemon; 110g caster sugar; 275ml water; 25g plain flour; 50g unsalted butter, softened; 2 tbsp. rum; 2 tbsp. brandy; 175ml medium sherry

It's not Christmas without a Panettone. Rescue leftovers with this clever Delia Smith recipe. Slices are steamed in creamy home-made custard, spiked with plump rum-soaked raisins, and finished with Eliza Acton's citrussy hot punch sauce. Why wait 'til Boxing Day?

Cook Time

2hrs

Serves

Ingredients

For the steamed Panettone Pudding:

300g traditional Panettone
175g dried mixed fruit, soaked in 3 tbsp. rum overnight
50g whole almonds with their skins left on
50g candied peel, finely chopped
1 orange, grated zest
2 lemons, grated zest
50g molasses sugar
275ml milk
150ml double cream
3 large eggs

For Eliza Action's Hot Punch Sauce:

1 large orange
1 lemon
110g caster sugar
275ml water
25g plain flour
50g unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp. rum
2 tbsp. brandy
175ml medium sherry

How to make the recipe

Step 1

Soak the dried mixed fruit in the rum overnight.

Step 2

The next day, toast the almonds by pre-heating the grill to its highest setting for 10 minutes. Place the almonds on some foil and toast them under the grill for 2-3 minutes, but be careful, as they burn very quickly.

Step 3

When the almonds look nicely toasted and browned on one side, turn them all over and toast the other side, then remove from the grill and leave them aside to cool.

Step 4

Next, cut the panettone into 5cm chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl, along with the candied peel, orange and lemon zests, and the soaked dried mixed fruit and any drops of rum that didn‚Äôt get soaked up. Now chop the almonds into thin slivers and add these. Make sure you give it all a really good stir to distribute everything evenly.

Step 5

In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, cream and eggs and pour this all over the panettone, giving everything another good mix.

Step 6

Then pour the mixture into the buttered pudding basin and press everything down to pack it in.

Step 7

Cover the top of the pudding with a double sheet of foil measuring about 5cm square and tie it securely with some string round the top of the basin.

Step 8

Make a string handle by taking a length of string over the top of the pudding basin and attaching it to each side, as this will help you lift the pudding into the steamer.

Step 9

Next, boil a kettle and pour the boiling water into the saucepan, about half-full, then place it on a medium heat and, when it comes back to the boil, fit the steamer over the top.

Step 10

Then pop the pudding in, put the lid on and steam the pudding for exactly 2 hours. After 1 hour, check the water level in the saucepan and, if necessary, top it up with boiling water. If you are using a fan steamer, put in enough water to just reach the steamer, and you‚Äôll need to top it up two or three times.

Step 11

Meanwhile, make the hot punch sauce. First prepare the orange and lemon zests to create four strips of each zest, approximately 5 x 5 cm.

Step 12

Then, using a sharp knife, cut the strips into very thin, needle-like shreds. Now pop these into a medium-sized saucepan, along with the sugar and water, then bring everything up to a slow simmer and let it simmer as gently as possible for 15 minutes.

Step 13

While that is happening, squeeze the juice from the orange and lemon, and in a separate bowl, mix the flour and butter together to form a paste.

Step 14

When the 15 minutes is up, add the orange and lemon juice, along with the rum, brandy and sherry, and bring it all back up to a gentle heat. Now add the paste to the liquid in small, peanut-sized pieces, whisking as you add them, until they have dissolved and the sauce has thickened.

Step 15

Serve the sauce hot in a warmed serving jug, and it you make it in advance, re-heat it gently without letting it come to the boil.

Step 16

To serve the pudding, remove the foil and string and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, then place it on a warmed plate. Pour some of the hot punch sauce over the pudding and carry it to the table, with the rest of the sauce in a jug to hand round separately.