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[OldAIMGuy]

It's not too late! Time to get Steamed about some Figgie Pudding!

-------Christmas Figgie Pudding Recipe-------
(From my wife's side of the Family tree)

Pudding:
1 – Cup of vegetable oil
1 – Cup Brer Rabbit Molasses
24 – Fig Newton bars (usually one large package or two smaller packs)
1 – Cup Milk
1 – Cup Raisins (best if soaked in a favorite liquor overnight)
½ - Cup chopped Pecans
½ - Cup flour (whole Wheat if available)
1 – level teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in one tablespoon of water
½ - teaspoon of Nutmeg
1 ½ - tablespoons of corn meal
1 – teaspoon of Allspice
½ - teaspoon of Ginger.
1 – pinch of Salt
(Note: if you use chopped Figs instead of fig newtons, increase the flour to 1 full cup)

Sauce:
¼ - Cup of melted butter
2 – whole eggs, beaten
1 – Cup of Powdered Sugar
1 – Pint of heavy whipping cream
1 – tablespoon of vanilla extract
Optional – a splash of your favorite brandy, rum or other liquor
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First pour the milk over the fig newtons in a large mixing bowl. Stir them around until the “cookie” part gets soft from the milk. Then use a potato masher to create a paste of the mixture. Add all the other Pudding ingredients except the Raisins and mix well with a large fork. Lightly stir in the raisins, trying not to bruise them.

To best steam the pudding, use a Bundt pan and a kettle large enough to accommodate the Bundt pan. This cuts steaming time in half. Transfer the Pudding mix to the bundt pan, filling it to about ¾ full. Next cover the bundt pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Carefully cut the foil where it covers the hole in the center of the pan and fold the foil down. Fold the foil tightly at the edges as well. Add an inch of water to the kettle and put the bundt pan in the center on a steamer tray. Cover the kettle and simmer on Low for 1 ½ hours. (Note if you make the pudding in a regular bowl, cooking time will be around 3 hours) Let the pudding cool in the pan for at least 1 hour and then carefully invert it onto a serving plate.

The pudding can be prepared a day in advance, eliminating the effort when trying to prepare the rest of the meal. Rewarm the pudding just before serving. I warm it on the Medium setting in the microwave for one minute at a time until it’s just above room temperature.

To prepare the sauce, combine the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, optional liquor and powdered sugar and stir well with a whisk or beaters. It should ‘run thickly off a spoon’ when mixed. If it isn’t thick enough, keep adding more powdered sugar until the consistency is right.

Whip the cream until it is fairly stiff. Combine the whipped cream and the rest of the sauce and mix gently with a rubber spatula. The sauce can be chilled in the refrigerator until served.

To serve, cut a generous portion of the warm pudding and place it on a plate. Douse the pudding with plenty of the Sauce. The pudding is black and rich and the sauce is pale yellow and thick.
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Merry Christmas Everyone!
OAG Tom