Christmas Figgy Pudding

By msippigrl

Have you ever wondered exactly what they were talking about in that Christmas carol (We Wish You A Merry Christmas)? Well here it is.. and it's a lot more cake-ish than pudding-ish! I'd say the taste and texture is somewhere between a bread pudding and a fruitcake.

Ingredients

• 14 ozs. dried Mission figs, stems removed and coarsely chopped (I used Great Value)
• 2 1/2 cups French bread crumbs (crusts removed, then ground in food processor but not too fine)
• Juice from 1 large navel orange PLUS enough water to measure 1 3/4 cups
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, chilled
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
• 1/2 stick (1/4 c) cold salted butter
• 1/4 cup cold Lard or vegetable shortening (I used Lard)(can use all butter, if desired)
• 2 jumbo eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional (I omitted this time)
• Large Bundt cake pan
• Large roasting pan or oven-safe stock pot (I used a large, enamel roasting pan)

Preparation

Step 1

Spread the processed bread crumbs out on a large baking sheet to dry out. Prep the other ingredients that need it before beginning the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a large Bundt cake pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spice. Cut the cold butter and cold Lard (or shortening) into cubes, then use a pastry cutter to cut them in until pea size crumbs form. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined; then gently whisk in the orange juice-water mixture. Working in sections, slowly add a little of the liquid mixture to a little of the flour mixture and stir that section just until moistened; continue working in sections until all the liquid and the flour have been incorporated. Don't overmix it. Gently, fold in the figs, orange zest, bread crumbs, and walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.

Place the Bundt pan in the roaster pan and place it on the center oven rack. Add enough hot tap water to the roaster pan to measure about three-fourths the way up the sides of the Bundt pan.

Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours, or until the center tests done with a wooden skewer. Do not overbake.

Transfer cake from the pan of water to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes.

Invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm topped with toffee sauce (recipe follows), confectioners sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. (Reheat leftovers slightly in microwave.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toffee Sauce

1 stick (1/2 c) salted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
Heavy whipping cream, as needed to thin


Melt butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; add brown sugar and bring to a boil, then cook for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in enough heavy cream to thin, whisking until mixture is smooth. Serve immediately with warm figgy pudding.