Enjoy a generous slice of Gluten-free Figgy Pudding that’s been made AIP- and paleo-friendly, a classic Christmas dessert! This spiced cake is very easy to make and can be baked ahead of time, since it gets better on day two and three. The grain-free, gluten-free cake is drizzled with a tasty glaze that gives it even more flavor.
What is Figgy Pudding?
Figgy pudding is a traditional British Christmas dessert that has had many variations over the centuries and is made many different ways by each family. The one thing that is consistent between different versions of figgy pudding recipes is that it is a spiced cake made with dried fruit.
This version of figgy pudding is made with lots of dried figs, which sweeten the cake and give it a wonderful rich flavor. Figs are used in 3 different ways for this recipe: they are soaked with water and pureed and added to the batter, which helps add natural sweetness to the cake, they are chopped to give this dessert a delicious burst of sweetness in every bite, and also used as garnish.
Figs are a naturally sweet fruit, and dried figs have an even more concentrated sweet flavor that is perfect for baking. Figs are high in fiber and have prebiotic properties, which help keep our digestive systems regular and promote a healthy gut biome. Figs are high in potassium, which help keep blood pressure normal, and contain a lot of calcium, which helps keep our bones healthy and may lessen the risk of osteoporosis.
Traditional figgy pudding is steamed, but I am able to recreate the texture of steamed pudding by using a combination of flours mixed together with pureed figs.
gluten-free figgy pudding
Dr. Amy Myers
December 17th, 2021
https://content.amymyersmd.com/recipe/gluten-free-figgy-pudding/gluten-free figgy pudding
Dr. Amy Myers
December 17th, 2021
https://content.amymyersmd.com/recipe/gluten-free-figgy-pudding/gluten-free figgy puddingGluten-Free Christmas Pudding
Figgy pudding is traditionally made with bread crumbs and/or wheat flour. In this recipe, I used tiger nut flour with a little cassava flour and arrowroot starch to create a gluten-free version of this delicious dessert. The tiger nut flour is a little coarse and gives this Christmas cake just the right texture.
Tiger nut flour contains fiber, resistant starch, and vitamin E. The type of fiber found in tigernuts is insoluble fiber, which helps food move through the digestive system easily.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps protect cells against free radicals. It also helps boost the immune system and can help cells fight infections.
Cassava flour is a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour and contains resistant starch, which is a prebiotic that helps feed the “good” bacteria in your gut.
Arrowroot starch helps bind the batter together and is a grain-free flour that helps create a great texture in baked goods.
Dr. Amy Myers
December 17th, 2021
https://content.amymyersmd.com/recipe/gluten-free-figgy-pudding/gluten-free figgy puddingAIP Figgy Pudding
Not only is this Christmas cake grain-free and gluten-free, but the rest of the ingredients are AIP-friendly as well. The cake is sweetened with natural maple syrup in addition to figs. It is made with palm shortening, which is a great corn-free, soy-free fat for baking. In addition to that, it is seasoned with delicious AIP-friendly spices, such as ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger, which have antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and are sure to put you in a holiday mood with their delicious warming flavors!
Baking Dishes for Figgy Pudding
Figgy pudding comes in all shapes and forms, depending on the baking dishes used. You can bake figgy pudding in a large bundt pan or in individual small bundt pans, ramekins, or oven-safe bowls.
Whatever you choose to bake your pudding in, make sure to grease the baking dish generously with shortening so that the cake releases from the pan easily. When you remove the cake from the oven, allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes, and it will start releasing from the sides a little. Once that happens, you can flip the cake onto a plate carefully and allow it to cool some more.
gluten-free figgy pudding
Dr. Amy Myers
December 17th, 2021
https://content.amymyersmd.com/recipe/gluten-free-figgy-pudding/gluten-free figgy pudding
Dr. Amy Myers
December 17th, 2021
https://content.amymyersmd.com/recipe/gluten-free-figgy-pudding/gluten-free figgy puddingHow to Serve Figgy Pudding
I like to serve figgy pudding with a generous pour of the deliciously spiced dairy-free sauce. The sauce is made by simmering equal parts coconut milk and coconut sugar with a little ground cinnamon for extra flavor. Coconut sugar is a refined sugar-free sweetener that contains trace amounts of minerals and nutrients, and tastes wonderful in baked goods. The coconut milk gives the sauce a nice richness and provides electrolytes such as phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium, which help maintain normal muscle, nerve, and heart function.
Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature and thicken a little before pouring it onto the baked cakes.
Figgy pudding is great when served fresh, but tastes even better after it sits for a day or two and absorbs the sauce. Store the figgy puddings covered in a cool place, or refrigerate. You can warm up the puddings in the oven or in the microwave to serve.
This figgy pudding makes a great dessert alongside some Paleo eggnog or a hot mug of ginger root tea.
More Christmas Desserts to Try
Gluten-Free Figgy Pudding
Servings
8
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
For the figgy pudding
- 2 cups 480.00 ml dried figs 26 figs, divided, plus extra for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups 360.00 ml water bring to a boil
- 1 cup 240.00 ml tiger nut flower
- 1/4 cup 60.00 ml Cassava flour
- 1/4 cup 60.00 ml arrowroot flour
- 1 tsp 4.93 ml baking soda
- 1/2 tsp NaN ml sea salt
- 1 tsp 4.93 ml ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp 2.46 ml ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp 2.46 ml ground ginger
- 1/4 cup 60.00 ml palm shortening
- 1/4 cup 60.00 ml maple syrup *avoid if following The Myers Way® or AIP diet
- 1 tbsp 14.79 ml apple cider vinegar
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup 120.00 ml coconut milk
- 1/2 cup 120.00 ml coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup 120.00 ml ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 4 small baking bowls (or 4 small bundt pans or oven-safe bowls) with shortening.
- Remove the hard stems off the figs. Soak half the figs in 1.5 cups boiling hot water for 10-15 minutes, or until warm enough to touch safely. The water will be infused with fig flavor and color. Transfer the figs and the water to a blender and process to a paste..
- Chop the rest of the figs into small ¼-inch pieces. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sieve together the tiger nut flour, cassava flour, arrowroot flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger and whisk together to mix well.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shortening, maple syrup (optional), and apple cider vinegar. Warm the shortening up a little, if needed, to get it to mix with the rest of the ingredients. Stir in the blended fig paste and mix well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir together until mostly combined. Stir in the chopped figs.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dishes and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-35 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggly (the exact baking time will depend on the size and shape of your baking dishes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before flipping onto a plate and serving with sauce.
- To prepare the sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar is melted. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced in half and is a syrupy consistency. Whisking and taking care not to let the sauce burn. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. You can check whether it is thick enough by pouring a little sauce on a plate and letting it cool to see the consistency. Pour the sauce over the figgy puddings to serve, garnishing with fresh figs. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving.
