Catholic Recipe: Australian Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe

Traditionally, Australians cooked English-style puddings at Christmas but, a lighter pudding is more suited to a hot climate; hence the Great Australian Christmas Pudding was created ­which is light, creamy and cool.

DIRECTIONS

Place mixed glacé fruit into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process for 3 seconds. Add cherries, process 2 seconds. Place fruit in a medium bowl, add sultanas; stir in brandy. Cover, store in a cool, dark place overnight (fruit chunks should not be too large or they will tear the pudding when cutting).

Line an 8-cup pudding steamer with plastic wrap, smoothing the wrap to remove as many wrinkles as possible.

Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form; gradually beat in the combined sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Gradually beat in lightly beaten egg yolks.

Place dark chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (don't let water touch the base of the bowl). Stir chocolate until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.

Stir melted chocolate into egg mixture. Pour chocolate mixture over fruit, mix well. Stir in nuts and honeycomb.

Sprinkle gelatin over the hot water in a small heatproof jug; stand jug in a small saucepan of simmering water, stir until gelatin dissolves. Cool slightly. Stir gelatin into chocolate mixture.

Beat cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form; fold into chocolate mixture. Pour mixture into pudding steamer. Smooth top; cover, freeze overnight.

Invert pudding onto a chilled serving plate; remove steamer, peel away plastic wrap. Return to the freezer.

Place white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (don't let the water touch the base of the bowl). Stir chocolate until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes, then spoon chocolate gently over top of pudding. Return to freezer immediately to allow chocolate to set. Top with extra hazelnuts to serve.