Steamed orange puddings with poached rhubarb

Rhubarb is incredibly easy to grow and its tart flavour always works so well in steamed sponge puddings. This is a proper British pudding and takes me right back to childhood.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 60g Lucy Bee coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 200g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
• 9 tbsp agave nectar
• 3 medium eggs
• 100g stevia or 125g unrefined caster sugar
• Finely grated zest and juice of 3 oranges
• 175g gluten-free plain flour
• 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
• Pinch of xanthan gum

Method

1. Have a steamer ready on top of the stove. Lightly grease six 150ml pudding moulds with a little coconut oil.

2. Place half the rhubarb into the moulds, tightly lining the bases. Pour 1 tbsp of the agave nectar into each mould, then set aside.

3. Put the eggs in a bowl with the stevia or sugar and whisk on a high speed, using an electric mixer, until light and creamy, 5–10 minutes. Beat in the melted coconut oil and orange zest. Sift the flour, baking powder and xanthan gum together and carefully fold this into the egg mixture, ensuring that it is well combined.

4. Divide the mixture evenly between the pudding moulds, making sure they are not more than three quarters full. Cover each mould with a small square of foil and fold under the rim of the moulds to seal. Place in the steamer and steam for 20–25 minutes, or until the sponge has risen and just springs back to the touch.

5. Meanwhile, place the remaining rhubarb in a saucepan with the orange juice and remaining agave nectar. Lightly poach for 5–10 minutes until the rhubarb is just cooked and keeping its shape, taking care not to overcook it.

6. Carefully remove the puddings from the steamer and remove the foil tops. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and turn them onto plates. Serve at once, with the warm poached rhubarb and some crème fraîche, if you like, and some of the rhubarb cooking juices drizzled over.

Tips and notes

If you don’t have a steamer, use a large saucepan instead. Place a dinner plate upside down on the base of the pan, then put the pudding moulds on top of the plate. Fill the saucepan with enough cold water to cover the bottom one third of the moulds. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid, then steam the puddings until cooked.

From Coconut Oil: Nature’s Perfect Ingredient. Recipe text © 2015 Lucy Bee Limited.