Delicious Figgy Duff Pudding

If you ask me, figgy duff pudding is one of those classic comfort foods that never gets old.

This traditional Newfoundland dessert brings together the simple goodness of sweet figs, warm spices, and soft, steamed pudding. The humble ingredients create something that feels like a warm hug on a cold day.

It’s made the old-fashioned way – steamed until it’s perfectly done, then served up hot with a drizzle of sweet molasses or butter sauce that soaks right into the pudding. Raisins scattered throughout add little bursts of sweetness in every bite.

It’s the kind of dessert that reminds you of Sunday dinners at grandma’s house, perfect for those times when you want something cozy and familiar.

Which Kind of Dried Fruit Should I Use?

While this recipe calls for specific dried fruits like apricots, cherries, raisins, and dates, you can actually mix and match based on what you have in your pantry. The key is keeping the total amount of dried fruit the same – around 550 grams total. Any combination of raisins, currants, cranberries, figs, prunes, or dried apricots will work well in this traditional pudding. Just make sure your dried fruit is fresh and pliable, not hard or overly dry. If your fruit feels a bit stiff, you can soak it in hot water or tea for about 30 minutes before using it in the recipe to help plump it up and restore moisture.

Options for Substitutions

This traditional pudding recipe can be adapted with several substitutions if needed:

• Dried fruits: Feel free to mix and match dried fruits to equal the same total weight – try figs, cranberries, prunes, or sultanas. Just keep the total amount of dried fruit the same for the right moisture balance.
• Suet: If you can’t find suet, you can use cold grated butter or vegetable shortening instead. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable suet. Keep it very cold when working it into the mixture.
• Demerara sugar: Brown sugar works perfectly fine as a replacement. Dark brown sugar will give you a deeper molasses flavor, while light brown sugar stays closer to the original taste.
• Breadcrumbs: You can use any type of plain breadcrumbs – fresh or dried. If using fresh, reduce the milk by about 2 tablespoons since they’re more moist.
• Brandy: Rum or cognac work just as well for flaming. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can skip this step – it’s mainly for presentation.
• Spices: Don’t have all the spices? Mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice can work as a substitute for the allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon combo – use about 6 grams total.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making figgy duff pudding is getting the moisture level right – using too much liquid can make your pudding heavy and dense, while too little will leave it dry and crumbly, so stick precisely to the milk measurements and don’t be tempted to add extra. Another common mistake is rushing the steaming process – this pudding needs a full 4-6 hours of gentle steaming to develop its rich flavor and proper texture, and checking the water level every hour is crucial to prevent the pot from boiling dry. To ensure your pudding holds together, make sure to chop all dried fruits and nuts into similar-sized pieces, and don’t skip the step of coating them in flour before mixing into the batter – this prevents them from sinking to the bottom during cooking. For the best results, keep the steaming water at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, and resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking as this can cause the pudding to become waterlogged.

What to Serve With Figgy Duff Pudding?

This rich, traditional pudding calls for some classic accompaniments that really make it shine. A generous pour of warm custard sauce or vanilla bean ice cream helps balance out the dense, fruity dessert. You can also go the traditional route with a dollop of brandy butter or hard sauce, which melts beautifully over the warm pudding. For an extra special touch, serve it with both custard and a small glass of dessert wine like port or sherry – this combination makes it feel like a proper holiday treat. If you’re serving it at room temperature, a spoonful of lightly whipped cream works wonderfully too.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This traditional figgy duff pudding stays good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. The flavors actually get better with time as they continue to develop and meld together!

Freeze: Want to plan ahead? You can freeze your pudding for up to 6 months! Just wrap it well in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place it in a freezer bag. Remember to label it with the date – though I doubt you’ll forget about this special treat in your freezer!

Warm Up: To serve your stored pudding, steam it again for about an hour if frozen (thaw overnight in the fridge first), or 30 minutes if refrigerated. You can also microwave individual slices for about 1 minute, though steaming gives the best texture. Don’t forget to flame with brandy just before serving for that classic holiday touch!

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	180 minutes
Total Time	210-225 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3600
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 140-160 g
• Carbohydrates: 450-480 g

Ingredients

For the fruit mixture:

• 1/2 orange zest (finely grated for maximum flavor)
• fresh juice of 1/2 orange
• 50g candied ginger
• 150g dried cherries
• 150g golden raisins
• 100g pitted Medjool dates (roughly chopped)
• 150g dried apricots
• 40g walnuts (toasted and chopped, I use Diamond of California)

For the dry ingredients:

• 2g allspice
• 125g demerara sugar
• 2g cinnamon
• 125g all-purpose flour
• 5g salt
• 150g breadcrumbs (fresh white breadcrumbs preferred for texture)
• 2g nutmeg (freshly grated for best aroma)
• 125g beef suet (shredded, I use Atora brand)

For the pudding assembly:

• 150g milk
• brandy (for flaming, optional but recommended for tradition)
• 1 whole egg (large, room temperature)
• christmas holly (for decoration)

Step 1: Prepare and Combine the Dried Fruits and Nuts

Start by gathering the dried fruits: 150 grams of dried apricots, 150 grams of dried cherries, 150 grams of golden raisins, 100 grams of pitted dates, and 50 grams of crystallized or candied ginger.

Chop the pitted dates into pieces roughly the same size as the raisins.

Similarly, chop the dried apricots, dried cherries, and crystallized ginger into small pieces.

Mince 40 grams of walnuts and add them to the mixing bowl along with the chopped dried fruits.

Step 2: Add Orange Zest and Juice

Zest half an orange and squeeze its juice into the mixing bowl with the dried fruits and nuts.

This will add a fresh citrus flavor to the mixture.

Step 3: Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Suet

Prepare 125 grams of suet by mincing it finely; it is easier to slice when frozen.

Add to the mixing bowl: 125 grams of plain flour, 150 grams of breadcrumbs, 125 grams of Demerara sugar, and the minced suet.

Then, add the spices and salt: 2 grams of allspice, 2 grams of nutmeg, 2 grams of ground cinnamon, and 5 grams of salt.

Mix these dry ingredients together roughly to ensure even distribution.

Step 4: Form the Pudding Mixture

To the mixed dry ingredients, add one whole egg and 150 grams of milk (or beer if you prefer a richer flavor).

Using your hands, mix everything until the mixture forms a cohesive ball, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.

Step 5: Prepare the Bowl and Assemble the Pudding

Grease a heatproof bowl, like a Pyrex mixing bowl, and press the figgy pudding mixture into it, shaping it to fit snugly.

Prepare a parchment paper lid by folding and cutting a circle to fit over the bowl, crimping around the edges.

Cover the bowl with two layers of aluminum foil, securing it tightly with string if desired.

Step 6: Steam the Pudding and Serve

Place the prepared pudding bowl in a large pan and fill the pan with water halfway up the sides of the bowl.

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cover the pan.

Steam the pudding for three hours.

Once done, carefully remove the pudding from the pot and peel off the foil and parchment paper.

Invert the pudding onto a cake serving dish.

For a dramatic presentation, pour brandy over the pudding and light it on fire.

Allow the flames to subside, then slice and serve the figgy pudding to enjoy its rich, fruity flavors.