This is the recipe for the Episode 5 Technical Challenge on The Great South African Bake Off 4.
You'll find links to the recipes for the season's other episodes underneath it.
Plum and Ginger Pudding with Roasted White Chocolate Sauce
INGREDIENTS
For Plum Pudding
3 Firm Plums, sliced 2mm thick in circles
30g Castor Sugar
180g Flour
85 g Butter, chilled
100g Muscovado Brown Sugar
2 tbsp. Crumbs
60g Stem Ginger in syrup, diced finely - reserve 1 tbsp for the end
2 Eggs
7g Ground Ginger
1 tsp. Baking powder
¼ tsp. Bicarb of soda
130 ml Milk
For the Roasted White Chocolate Ginger Sauce
150g Valrhona White Chocolate
100ml Cream
25g Stem Ginger, minced
Sea Salt
METHOD
For the Plum and Ginger Pudding
Prepare the pudding basin. Grease the pudding basin and tip in the Castor Sugar.
Swirl to cover the basin and then then tip out any excess. Chill for 5 minutes.
Line the pudding basin, starting at the base and working up the sides, using the plum slices.
Arrange the plum slices so that they overlap by half to ensure that no batter seeps through.
Place a cloth and an upturned saucer on the base of a large, deep pan and quarter fill with water.
Cover and bring to the boil.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients, until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 25g very finely minced stem ginger, eggs and milk and fold until thoroughly combined.
Spoon into the Pudding basin, without dislodging the plum slices.
Fold a 30 cm greaseproof paper disk so it has a 3 cm crease in the centre.
Turn by 90 degrees and fold another crease, to form a cross.
Repeat the above step with a 30 by 30 cm square of foil.
Cover the basin with greaseproof disk and then foil, wrapping tightly around the side of the basin.
Tie under the rim with the string.
Fashion a loose handle, using a double length of string and tie at each side of the basin.
Set the basin on the saucer; add more boiling water so that the water comes up 1/3 of the basin.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
Check that the sponge is cooked by inserting a wooden skewer in the pudding.
Lift the basin out the pan carefully.
Remove the cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Loosen the sponge, without dislodging the plum slices, then turn over onto the plate.
Place one teaspoon of the minced ginger on top with a little syrup.
For the Roasted Valrhona White Chocolate
Heat the oven to 130ºC.
Chop the chocolate coarsely and scatter on a baking tray.
Roast for 30 – 45 minutes, stirring and smearing with a clean spatula every 5 minutes.
Continue cooking until the chocolate is a dark golden brown then tip into cream.
Add the minced ginger and sea salt and blitz till smooth.
Notes:
The pudding basin should be greased well to help the pudding come away from the sides.
The plum should be sliced no more than 2 mm thick to ensure that it's pliable enough to line the pan.
The plums should overlap by at least half to ensure that the batter does not leach through the plums and care must be taken when spooning in the batter so as not to dislodge the plums.
Chilling for a couple of minutes after lining the tin help set the grease and firms up the plums in place.
The Pot should be filled 1/3- 2/3 up the sides. Must be covered and on a gentle simmer to ensure that there is constant heat. The correct pot size must be used.
The pudding must be sealed with both greaseproof paper and foil to ensure that condensation does not drip onto the top of the pudding.
Checking the pudding after 45 minutes with a skewer to ensure that it its cooked is essential.
A resting time of 5-7 minutes before tipping out - ensure that the heat is drawn through the bake.
White chocolate sauce
White chocolate is essentially cocoa fat – caramelisation occurs because of the sugar and dairy that is added - looking for a deep golden brown colour, careful stirring every five minutes is essential to ensure even roasting at a relatively low temperature.
Tap these links to see recipes from each week:
(Each one opens in a new window.)
Episode 1: Chocolate & Citrus Biscotti
Episode 2: Macadamia Lemon Meringue Roulade
Episode 3: Butternut Maize Meal Parmesan Scones
Episode 4: Classic Choux Swans with Berry Coulis
Episode 6: Turkish Spinach and Cheese Street Food
Episode 7: Jammy Coconut Crème Doughnuts
Episode 8: Chocolate and Almond Cake
Episode 9: Milk Tart Saint Honoré
Episode 10: Banana Soufflé & Dark Chocolate Ice Cream