Cookbook: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.

Ingredients

 * 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

Procedure

 * 1) Preheat oven to 325 °F. Generously grease an oven-proof 2-quart bowl or mold; set aside.
 * 2) Cream together butter and shortening.
 * 3) Gradually add sugar, egg yolks, milk, extract, apple, figs, lemon and orange peel.
 * 4) Add next 6 ingredients, mixing well. Fold whipped egg whites into mixture.
 * 5) Pour into prepared bowl or mold, place into large shallow pan, and place on middle rack in oven.
 * 6) 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.