Recipes

Low FODMAP Christmas Pudding

Serves 12-14

If you prefer to make a gluten free version, substitute the spelt flour with 1 cup brown rice flour +⅓ cup corn flour (starch) + 2 tablespoons tapioca starch + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

• ¼ cup (35g) each of currants, sultanas and raisins – can use berries if you cannot get raisins
• finely grated zest of 1 large orange
• ¼ cup (30ml) each of orange juice, brandy and water
• 125g butter
• ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
• 50 g dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 ½ cups spelt flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 medium (100g) carrot, peeled and grated
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Grease a 2 litre pudding basin with butter and place a square of baking paper in the base.

Place a trivet in the base of a pot large enough to fit the pudding basin with lid on.  Add enough water to reach halfway up the sides of the pudding basin and bring to the boil.

Finely chop the currants, sultanas and raisons together.  Place in a medium saucepan with the zest, juice, brandy, water, butter, sugar and chocolate.  Gently heat until the butter and chocolate have melted then simmer gently for 6 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.

Sift flour, baking powder and spices into a large bowl and add the fresh ginger, carrot, eggs and cooled fruit mixture; mix until evenly combined.  Pour the pudding batter into the prepared basin and cover with the lid or baking paper and foil tied with string.

Place the pudding in the pot of boiling water and steam for 2 hours, topping up with boiling water as necessary (or if you have a steam oven, steam at 100°C for 2 hours).

Allow the pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.   

Shortbread    

185gm butter

¾ C Icing sugar

½ C Rice four

1 ½ C Plain flour

1 tsp vanilla

2tbsp Caster sugar for topping

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla

Mix flours

Gradually add flours until dough is formed

Press into circle cake tin

Stab all over with a fork 

Bake at 160 for 20-25 minutes until golden halo forms on the outside   

Nankhatai 

• 175g plain flour (or a mixture of rice flour and plain flour)
• 110g cold butter
• 75g icing sugar
• Podded and crushed seeds of 4 cardamom pods
• 1½ teaspoons rosewater

Method:

In a bowl, use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs (chop the butter into small pieces first to make it easier). Add the rose petals, cardamom and icing sugar, then combine with your hands until the dough starts to come together. Pour in the rosewater until a firm dough is formed, but avoid working it too much.

Flour a clean surface and roll out the pastry until around 2cm thick. Cut into regular shapes – either with a fluted circular cookie cutter, or if you don’t have one, the rim of a small mug or glass. Line a baking tray with parchment and place the cut cookies a few centimetres apart. Chill in the fridge for around 20 minutes, until nice and cold and firm. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 170C/340F/gas 3-4.

Once hot, bake the cookies for 20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and decorate with a few spare dried rose petals. Serve warm with a good old-fashioned cup of tea!

White Christmas

Ingredients

• 3 cups Kellogg's® Rice Bubbles®
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• ¾ cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 1 cup dried mixed fruit
• 250g Copha®*
• Glacè cherries for topping

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Melt Copha® slowly over low heat.

3. Cool slightly, pour onto dry ingredients. Mix well.

4. Be sure to work quickly, spoon the mixture into either paper patty cases or press into a lamington tin.

5. Freeze until set (about 15 minutes), then store in the refrigerator.

6. Serve cut into fingers and topped with glacè cherries.