Christmas cracker puddings with mascarpone rum cream

This recipe is a lighter take on the Christmas pudding theme. You can make them a few hours ahead, and re-heat in a medium oven for about five minutes before serving.

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Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. You will also need a lightly greased baking tray. First of all mix the rum with the muscovado sugar in a small bowl and leave it to stand so the sugar has time to dissolve (about 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, turn out the Christmas puddings into a bowl along with the grated zests, and mix well with a fork. Divide the pudding mixture into six equal portions and roll each one on a clean, flat surface into a sausage shape (about 12cm in length).

Next carefully peel one of the sheets of pastry away from its backing paper, and lay it on a clean, dry surface. Then take the first 6cm of pastry nearest to you and fold it inwards. Place one of the rolled pudding pieces along the folded edge and roll it tightly away from you so you have a long cigar shape. Repeat the process with the remaining five rolls of filling then arrange them, evenly spaced, on the baking tray. Now take the remaining sheet of pastry, and using a pair of scissors cut 12 ribbons (about 1cm wide) from the centre of the pastry (so the ribbons will be longer).

Next, pinch the pastry around both ends of each pudding and gently tie it with a pastry ribbon – without pulling too tightly or it will break. When all the crackers are tied, pop the tray on the centre shelf of the oven and bake them for 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the rum cream by combining the rum-and-sugar mixture with the mascarpone, using an electric hand-whisk. When the crackers are baked, let them stand for 10 minutes before cutting each one in half diagonally with a serrated knife. Plate them, one half cracker leaning against the other, dusted with some icing sugar and a dollop of cream on the side.