Cranberry and Almond Pudding

By now, you may have registered that I rather enjoy cranberries.

In fact I regularly consume these wonderful health-giving fruits,

whether in juice, or sauce,

or the fruit themselves in pies or puddings.

Cranberries contain a high level of oligomeric proanthocyanidins,

Which are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory,

anti-carcinogenic and antimicrobial properties.

Here's a few of the health benefits:

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Urinary tract infections:

The acidic nature of the fruit changes the PH of urine, thus preventing bacteria form adhering to the bladder walls where they multiply, causing infection.

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Stomach ulcers and cancer:

This fruit's acidity has the ability to destroy Helicobacter pulori bacteria, which have been found to cause stomach ulcers, and in severe infections, lead to stomach cancer.

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Respiratory infections:

Cranberry helps fight strains of Haemophilus Influenzae bacteria found in the nose and throat of many healthy people, which is responsible for causing many throat and ear infections.

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Cardiovascular disease:

The polyphenols present in cranberry appear to increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease the levels of Bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Oral health:

Cranberry juice is effective in reducing harmful bacteria in the mouth.

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Other benefits:

Prevention of kidney stones

Slows the aging process

Aid in weight loss by emulsifying fat deposits in the body

These fruit are a good source of calcium

..

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Cranberry and Almond Pudding

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Ingredients:

250g frozen cranberries

50g butter

50ml sugar

125g melted butter

2 eggs

zest of 1 orange

175g self raising flour

175g sugar

2.5ml baking powder

50-60g flaked almonds

30-40ml demerara sugar

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Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Put the cranberries, 50g butter and 50ml sugar in a pan and cook gently until the fruit begin to pop and ooze their juices.

In a bowl, add the eggs and orange zest to the melted butter and whip together. (wet ingredients)

In a second bowl, mix the flour, sugar and baking powder. (dry ingredients)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients to make a batter.

Grease a pie pan or a spring form round cake tin. Put half the batter mixture on the bottom of the pie pan. Pour the cranberries over this and top with the second half of the batter mixture. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and demerara sugar.

Bake in a relatively low oven, about 160C, for about 60 minutes.

Serve hot with whipped cream, custard or ice cream.

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