Inspired by Helen’s blackcurrant and apple pudding and Lucy’s orange and almond pudding, I’ve created a recipe for a slow cooker steamed pudding with cranberry, which would be great as an alternative to Christmas pudding or just as a winter dessert.
The cranberries are cooked gently with star anise for a subtle spiced flavour. As the compote cooks is jut fills the house with festive fragrances!
I’ve paired the cranberries with a simple vanilla steamed pudding or sponge cake made with vanilla bean paste. So when you eat it you dig through the cranberry layer to the delicious soft cake beneath.
To cook this in the slow cooker you’ll need a pudding basin or Pyrex bowl.
Ingredients needed
- butter
- caster sugar
- self-raising flour
- eggs
- vanilla bean paste
- fresh cranberries
- demerara sugar
- 2 star anise
Step by step instructions
- First make the cranberry compote. Place all of the ingredients for the compote into a medium sized pan and heat gently. Simmer for around ten to fifteen minutes until the cranberries have softened and the compote has thickened. Leave aside to cool. Remove the star anise before using.
- Now make the pudding. Place the softened butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla bean paste in a bowl and beat well until smooth.
- Grease a pudding bowl with butter, then place enough of the cranberry compote in the base of the bowl to cover it (about four spoonfuls).
- Place the pudding mixture on top. Use clingfilm to seal the pudding bowl.
- Get your slow cooker ready. Note: I used my large 5.7 litre Crockpot for this recipe, as I can get a pudding bowl in there.
- Boil a kettle and pour the boiling water into the slow cooker ceramic pot.
- Place the pudding bowl, covered with clingfilm, into the water.
- Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the pudding has risen in the bowl and the top centre of it looks firm.
- Allow to cool, then remove the pudding bowl from the slow cooker using oven gloves.
- Invert the pudding onto a plate and spoon over a little more of the cranberry compote, to serve. Serve warm with custard or cream.
Pin my cranberry pudding for later!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Cranberry and Vanilla Steamed Pudding
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 175 g butter at room temperature
- 175 g caster sugar
- 175 g self-raising flour
- 3 eggs
- 1.5 tsp vanilla bean paste
For the cranberry compote:
- 300 g fresh cranberries
- 100 g demerara sugar
- 100 ml water
- 2 star anise
Equipment
Instructions
- First make the cranberry compote. Place all of the ingredients for the compote into a medium sized pan and heat gently. Simmer for around ten to fifteen minutes until the cranberries have softened and the compote has thickened. Leave aside to cool. Remove the star anise before using.
- Now make the pudding. Place the softened butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla bean paste in a bowl and beat well until smooth.
- Grease a pudding bowl with butter, then place enough of the cranberry compote in the base of the bowl to cover it (about four spoonfuls).
- Place the pudding mixture on top. Use clingfilm to seal the pudding bowl.
- Get your slow cooker ready. Note: I used my large 5.7 litre Crockpot for this recipe, as I can get a pudding bowl in there.
- Boil a kettle and pour the boiling water into the slow cooker ceramic pot.
- Place the pudding bowl, covered with clingfilm, into the water.
- Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the pudding has risen in the bowl and the top centre of it looks firm.
- Allow to cool, then remove the pudding bowl from the slow cooker using oven gloves.
- Invert the pudding onto a plate and spoon over a little more of the cranberry compote, to serve. Serve warm with custard or cream.
This recipe is for the Slow Cooked Challenge, and this time the theme is Christmas. I can’t wait to see the creative recipes you make in your slow cooker for the festive season, whether savoury or sweet!
Last month’s theme was meat-free and Janice has posted the roundup over on Farmersgirl Kitchen here. I can’t wait to try the butternut squash crumble and the kale and ale stew.
Great use of the slow cooker Lucy! I don’t use it enough over the festive period but this looks like it would be a real crowd pleaser!
I don’t have a slow cooker because I always thought it would be something used to cook large joints of meat. I love the fact you’ve done a dessert and such a seasonal one at that. Thanks for linking to the other desserts too. I’m enlightened to another potential gadget in the kitchen!
Ooh no, I am always doing cakes and desserts in mine, and veggie meals. They are great!
i really need to try baking the slow cooker – i keep seeing you amazing posts!
Thanks Roz! It can be a good frugal cooking option using the slow cooker
This looks so good – and a lighter alternative to a Christmas pudding. I love xmas pudding but never have room for it! Very creative use of your slow cooker too, I’ve never thought of steaming anything with mine 🙂
Thank you! I think I will be making this again as Xmas pud is too rich for my children (and I preferred this too!).
This looks fab, I’ve never tried using my slow cooker for steaming but it sounds like it works really well! Love the look of all those juicy berries on top.
It certainly does, I will be making all kinds of steamed pudding now no doubt!