Pudding à la Nesselrode

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2-litre metal Charlotte or pudding mould with fitted lid
• •Fine-mesh sieve or food mill
• •Shallow metal freezing pan
• •Electric hand mixer or balloon whisk
• •Food-safe film and foil
• •Chilled rimmed serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Swell the dried fruit

   Put the currants and sultanas in a small bowl and cover them with tepid water. Leave them for 10 minutes, just until plump, then drain thoroughly and blot them dry. They must swell without carrying water into the pudding, because excess water freezes into coarse crystals.

2. 2

   Macerate the fruit

   Stir the sugar into the Madeira until dissolved. Add the currants, sultanas, diced orange peel, and diced cherries, keeping the four fruits nearly equal by weight as the classical formula directs. Cover and macerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the cold. Before using, drain the fruit in a sieve for 10 minutes and blot away the excess Madeira without pressing the pieces dry.

   Do not pour the remaining macerating liquid into the custard. The fruit has carried in the Madeira it needs; loose alcohol and sugar would soften the freeze.
3. 3

   Prepare the mould

   Line the bottom and sides of a 2-litre metal Charlotte mould with broad, overlapping sheets of food-safe film, leaving enough overhang to cover the surface later. Smooth out the largest creases. Set the mould in the freezer while you make the pudding so the mixture meets a properly cold vessel.

4. 4

   Smooth the chestnut base

   Press the chestnut purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, even if the tin calls it smooth. Whisk in about ¼ cup of the cold Crème Anglaise (No. 2397) to loosen the purée, then add the remaining custard gradually until the mixture is completely even and tastes clearly of chestnut. If you still see coarse flecks, pass the whole base through the sieve now; once the fruit is added, that rescue is gone.

   The chestnut is the dish. A good purée holds a soft mound and tastes concentrated, never watery or heavily sweetened.
5. 5

   Partially freeze the base

   Fold the well-drained fruit through the chestnut custard and spread the mixture in a shallow metal pan. Freeze for 60 to 90 minutes, scraping the frozen edges into the centre every 20 minutes, until the whole base resembles thick, soft snow and a spatula leaves a track. This is the almost-congealed stage the original method allows. If it catches solid around the edges, leave it out for 10 minutes and work it smooth with the spatula before continuing.

6. 6

   Whip the maraschino cream

   Put the cream, apart from the reserved 2 tablespoons, in a cold bowl and whip until it holds very soft peaks. Drizzle in the maraschino liqueur while whisking gently, then add the reserved cream by hand until the cream falls from the whisk in broad folds. Do not take it stiff. If it begins to look grainy, stop and work in the reserved liquid cream a teaspoon at a time. Ça se rattrape.

7. 7

   Fold and fill

   Stir one-third of the maraschino cream into the partially frozen chestnut base to lighten it. Fold in the remainder in two additions, turning from the bottom of the bowl until no white streaks remain. The mixture should be airy but substantial enough to suspend the fruit. Spoon it into the cold mould, press it carefully into the fluted sides, and tap the mould once against a folded towel to dislodge large air pockets. Smooth the top, fold over the film, and seal with the fitted lid or a second tight layer of film and foil.

8. 8

   Freeze the pudding hard

   Freeze the sealed mould undisturbed for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Give it the full time. A softly frozen centre slumps when unmoulded, while a pudding frozen hard holds the classical shape and softens properly as each slice reaches the plate.

9. 9

   Unmould and crown

   Chill a rimmed serving platter. Uncover the mould, dip its exterior in warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, dry it, and invert it decisively onto the platter. Lift away the mould and peel off the film. If it refuses to release, dip it again for 3 seconds rather than forcing it. Arrange the candied chestnuts in a generous crown around the base. Cut with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Buy unsweetened chestnut purée with chestnuts at the head of the ingredient list. Crème de marrons (sweetened chestnut spread) contains enough sugar and vanilla to change both the flavour and the way the pudding freezes; it is not an invisible substitute.
• •Prepare the Crème Anglaise (No. 2397) ahead and chill it completely before it meets the chestnut. A warm custard collapses the whipped cream and delays the freeze.
• •Maraschino liqueur is a clear cherry liqueur with a dry almond-cherry perfume, not the red syrup from cocktail cherries. Madeira and maraschino remain uncooked in this pudding, so serve it with that in mind.
• •Serve a small glass of the same Madeira alongside. The wine echoes the fruit without smothering the chestnut, which must remain the first and last flavour.

Advance Preparation

• •The fruit may be swelled and left to macerate in sweetened Madeira overnight. Drain it thoroughly before folding it into the base.
• •The Crème Anglaise (No. 2397) may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the cold.
• •The sealed pudding may be frozen up to 3 days before serving. Add the candied chestnut crown only after unmoulding so the garnish remains glossy and distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)