Figgy Pudding
The history of figgy pudding dates back to 16th century England. The ancestor of figgy pudding (and plum pudding) is a medieval spiced porridge known as Frumenty. Today, the term figgy pudding is known mainly because of a popular Christmas carol. The carolers singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" mention it numerous times throughout the song. Currently figgy pudding is not very popular but is thought about during the holiday season. It is a British-style pudding, or dessert, resembling something like a white Christmas pudding. The pudding may be baked, steamed in the oven, boiled, or fried.
½ cup butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons rum extract (or flavored extract of your choice)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 pounds dried figs, ground or finely chopped
Grated peel of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 cup chopped nuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups dried bread crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 large egg whites, stiffly whipped
1 strip of bacon, finely crushed (optional; New England variant)
1 teaspoon of hard sauce, for drizzling
Preheat oven to 325 °F. Generously grease an oven-proof 2-quart bowl or mold; set aside.
Cream together butter and shortening.
Gradually add sugar, egg yolks, milk, extract, apple, figs, lemon and orange peel.
Add next 6 ingredients, mixing well. Fold whipped egg whites into mixture.
Pour into prepared bowl or mold, place into large shallow pan, and place on middle rack in oven.
Fill the shallow pan half-full with boiling water, and slowly steam pudding in oven at 325 °F for 4 hours, replacing water as needed.
4 hours