Microwaved Date and Fig Steamed Pudding

Winter is upon us; it seemed as it rained all day yesterday and I am ashamed to admit that I did not actually leave the flat as it was so grey and damp. Instant comfort food was necessary to combat the bad weather blues. I had recently been reading about making microwave cakes and this was the ideal moment to find out if a microwaved steamed pudding was in fact as easy and as good as a quick Google would lead one to believe.

For the uninitiated a steamed pudding is a traditional British pudding – a sponge cake cooked in a pudding basin in a water bath. You usually put syrup or jam in the base of the basin and then when the pudding is cooked you turn it out then sweet sticky sauce pours over / soaks into it

I am happy to report that the steamed pudding was a huge success; far better than my quick photos make it look; and indistinguishable from a traditionally cooked steamed pudding and it took me 6 minutes to make from start to finish. There are two tricky things about this recipe – the first being cooking it for the right amount of time – all microwaves are different so cooking times will vary; the second being what flavour of pudding to make. Happily both are easily solved, the first time you make the pudding cook it in a pyrex pudding basin (so you can see what is going on) and check it every 30 seconds. And the second – well winter is long and there are lots of opportunities for trying different flavours. I made a date and fig pudding using date syrup from my local Middle Eastern shop for the sauce.

And it being Vegan Mofo this pudding is also vegan.

Microwaved Date and Fig Steamed Pudding (Serves 2 on a wet afternoon)

4 oz plain flour
3 oz sugar (I used soft dark brown)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 oz vegetable oil
4 oz soya milk
3 dried figs – chopped finely

3 tablespoons date syrup

Put sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and figs into a bowl and stir well. Whisk the oil and milk, pour onto the dry ingredients and stir until you have a batter.

Thoroughly grease a 1½ pint pudding basin, add the date syrup, spoon the batter over the top. Cover the bowl with clingfilm, then prick the film a few times. Then microwave on full power until done It took 4 mins in mine, but as all microwaves are different cook in 1 min bursts until it it risen and a cocktail stick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Put a plate over the basin and flip it to turn the pudding out. Serve immediately.

Teacups would be ideal for making individual puddings in.