Products

Vegan Christmas Pud
- 12oz/350g sultanas
- 4oz/120g glace cherries, halved
- 10z/300g ground almonds
- 4oz/120g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 8oz/230g dark brown molasses sugar
- 4oz/120gsoft, fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 8oz/230g vegetable suet
- grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 4 floz/125ml/half a cup soya milk
- sherry

Soak the sultanas in plenty sherry

1. Grease a 2 pint pudding basin.

2. Put the soaked fruit, cherries and ground almonds into a large bowl.

3. Add the flour, salt, spices, sugar, breadcrumbs, vegetarian suet, lemon zest and juice, treacle, soya milk and 4 tbsp sherry.

4. Mix well to make a soft mixture.

5. Spoon into the basin, cover with two layers of greased foil and tie down.

6. Steam for 4 hours.

7. Cool.

8. Cover with a circle of greaseproof paper and two layers of tinfoil.

9. To reheat steam for three hours as before. (I have to say that when I make it I prick the pudding and feed some more sherry or brandy into it...) and don't forget that after it is reheated pour MORE brandy over it and set it on fire.

Thanks to www.veganfamily.co.uk/pud

Vegan Easy Last Minute Christmas Fruit Cake

This cake has no added sugar or fat (suitable for a range of diets) but is still really sweet and rich. It should be stored in the fridge and eaten within one week.

• 8oz/250g/2 cups of cooking dates with the stones removed

• 10 fl.oz/300ml/1 and a quarter cups of water (you could substitute a quarter cup of brandy or sherry for a quarter cup of the water if you like)

• 6oz/175g/1 and a quarter cups of wholemeal flour

• 1 lb/450g/3 cups of mixed dried fruit of your choice - including lots of dried apricots works very well

• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice

• 4 tablespoons of orange juice

For decoration: You can either do a traditional marzipan and white icing topping or use rows of different nuts such as walnuts, pecans, brazils and almonds.

1. Heat the dates and water until the dates are soft.

2. Remove from heat and mash with a fork.

3. Add all the other ingredients and mix well.

4. Spoon into a greased 2lb/900g cake tin and level top.

5. If using the nut topping place rows of different nuts on top of the cake prior to cooking.

6. Bake at 170C/340F for about an hour and a half until cooked.

7. Once cooled the nut topping can be glazed with a little syrup (melt some sugar into hot water) or you can ice traditionally.

Thanks to www.veganfamily.co.uk/pud

Vegan Mincemeat

• 1lb/450g cooking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

• 8oz/225g shredded vegetable suet

• 12 oz/350g sultanas

• 16 oz/450g dried apricots

• 12oz/350g soft dark brown sugar

• grated rind and juice of 2 oranges

• grated rind and juice of 2 lemons

• 2oz/60g whole almonds, slivered

• 4 tsp mixed spice

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• half a nutmeg, grated

• 6 tbsp vegan brandy

1. Mix all ingredients, except the brandy, together in a bowl then

2. cover and leave for 12 hours.

3. To prevent fermentation place the mincemeat in a 120C/ 225F oven for 3 hours.

4. Then allow to cool,

5. stir in brandy and

6. put in clean jars and seal.

Thanks to www.veganfamily.co.uk/pud