This healthy Christmas pudding recipe is lighter than a traditional Christmas pudding. It still has the heavenly flavour of spices and dried fruit, but it's sugar free, gluten free and lower in saturated fat. Healthy sugar free Christmas pudding is also a bit easier to enjoy and digest after a big festive feast!
Place the dried fruits, brandy, orange zest and spices in a pan, and simmer for 2 mins. Leave to cool, most of the liquid will evaporate.
Place the sweet potato, apple, egg, melted butter and honey in a bowl and mix well, with a hand mixer or spoon, until you have a smooth consistency. Add the ground almonds and baking powder and mix thoroughly again. Add the dried fruit mixture and stir together by hand with a spoon.
Butter a 570ml/1 pt oven proof pudding bowl. Cut a small circle of greaseproof paper and place in the bottom. Spoon the pudding into the bowl. Cover with a double layer of foil, which you have folded to make a small pleat. Tie the foil firmly in place with string.
Place the pudding bowl either in your slow cooker, or on an upturned heatproof saucer in a large lidded pan. Add 5cm boiling water (the water should come half way up the pudding bowl). Cook on a low heat for 2.5 hrs in the slow cooker or 2 hrs on the stove. The cooked pudding will be set and slightly risen.
Remove from the water and leave the pudding to cool in the bowl, unless you are eating it immediately.
Notes
The best way to reheat this healthy Christmas pudding is to steam it again. One and a half hours will be sufficient to heat a pudding this size.
This pudding will keep well for 3 or 4 days, but if you want to store it for longer, it's best to freeze it. Wrap well before freezing.