Spice and easy
Indulge yourself with our delicious alternatives to the traditional Christmas pud.

Christmas apricots
Serves 4~6

These beautiful apricots make a stunning focal point on the dinner table. This unusual, delicate sweet has some traditional Christmas ingredients: fruit, spice and maple syrup.

100g/4oz dried apricots, soaked overnight
25g/1oz whole almonds
25g/1oz whole pitted, moist prunes
40g/11/2oz fine desiccated coconut
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
60ml/2 fl oz maple syrup
25g/1oz pistachios, finely chopped

1. Drain the apricots and allow these to dry.

2. Dry fry the almonds in a thick-based pan. Set aside and allow this to cool.

3. Very finely chop the prunes and mix together with the desiccated coconut, cinnamon and maple syrup.

4. Carefully spoon the mixture into the opening of each apricot and then gently stuff with an almond.

5. Dip the open end of the apricot into the chopped pistachios and continue until all the apricots are filled.

6. Serve on a plate with Turkish black coffee.

© Chico Francesco, The Citrus Tree, The Vegetarian Society, The Vegan Society