Get Figgy With It This Christmas

8 ounces dried figs

¾ cup brandy

¼ cup self-rising flour

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1½ cup fresh breadcrumbs (5 stale or lightly toasted slices of bread ground with 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter)

1 cup chopped dates

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup currants

1 orange, zest and juice only

2-inch piece fresh root ginger, grated and strained to retain only the juice

2 eggs

Butter, for greasing

Creme Anglaise, recipe to follow

• Place the figs in a bowl. Pour brandy over the figs. Leave to soak overnight, then drain (reserving the brandy) and roughly chop the figs.

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, breadcrumbs, currants, dates and raisins.

• In the bowl of a stand-up mixer combine eggs and sugar and whip until creamed. Add reserved brandy, orange zest, orange juice, ginger juice and whip until well combined at medium speed.

• Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter at low speed. Increase speed and mix well to combine, until smooth and free of lumps.

• Fold in the figs and transfer the batter into a well-greased Bundt, tube or pudding mold. Top with greased parchment paper, then wrap tightly with foil. If the foil is coming up on the edges, secure it with butcher's twine.

• Fill a large steaming pot, lobster pot or tamale pot up to the fill line and bring to a boil. Place the Bundt pan on the steamer's rack and cover tightly. Reduce heat to medium and steam for three hours. After every hour, check the water and add as necessary.

• When pudding is springy to the touch, pierce it with a wooden skewer. If it comes back without residual, pudding, it's done.

• Carefully remove the pudding from the pot. Warning: When you open the lid, steam will rush out, and it will be teeming with the alcohol that's cooked off. Let the cake stand 15 to 30 minutes, then top with a chopping block or upside-down cake dish. Carefully turn the pudding over onto the chopping block or cake dish and let cool an hour.

• Slice and serve with Creme Anglaise for dunking.

• This pudding can be refrigerated or wrapped and held at room temperature.

Source: Dave Cathey, with influence from the BBC website and Dorie Greenspan via National Public Radio.