Christmas puddings as we now serve them are another 'tradition'invented by the Victorians. In medieval England puddings were popularand eaten all year round and not just at Christmas time. Made with suet, dried fruit and sugar, a traditional Christmaspudding keeps extremely well and can be made several weeks or evenmonths in advance of Christmas.
The recipes I use are from Michael Barry's Cookery Year, oneof my best-loved cookery books and one of the first ones I've everbought in England. Sadly, it's now out of print. But if you happen tofind a copy, grab it! Michael Barry's traditional Christmas pudding recipe isapparently the one that's been used by the Royal Family since thebeginning of the 18th century. It's very rich, but keeps very well.
The other recipe I like is the one for a no-fat Christmas pudding.With all the festive foods around during December, something thatdoesn't add inches to my waistline while I look at it is very welcome.It's much lighter and also Vegetarian, but - because of that lightness -doesn't keep.
Christmas Pudding: the end to a fabulous Christmas meal © freeskyline | 123RF.com
One item worth having when making Christmas Pudding...
You can, of course, use a bowl, wrap it in several layers of foil and a dishcloth, tie it with string and then set it carefully into the water bath to steam... only to do the whole exercise in reverse, only now with a steaming hot pudding!
A pudding mould with a close-fitting lid and a convenient handle takes care of all this and makes sure your pudding doesn't accidentally end up on the floor.
And if you thought you'd never use a pudding mould at any other time... try steamed treacle sponge pudding, or apple flapjack pudding, or even Sussex pond pudding. Your family will love you for it!
Traditional Christmas Pudding
This one is so rich, it should definitely remind you of Christmas past, but it keeps up to a year in a cool place, so if you make too much, you can be sure your puddings won't spoil.
The recipe makes enough for 1.5 kg of pudding. It will fill two medium-sized (16in) pudding basins, or a large (20in) one.
- 175g (6oz) shredded suet
- 175g (6oz) soft brown or demerara sugar
- 175g (6oz) seedless raisins
- 175g (6oz) stoned prunes
- 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
- 100g (4oz) chopped mixed peel
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- 150ml (5 fl oz) milk
Christmas Pudding © robertsre | 123RF.com
Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Beat the eggs and the milk until frothy, then stir into the driedingredients until thoroughly mixed. Allow to stand in a cool place (notthe fridge) for 12 hours.
Put mixture into pudding basins and cover with a layer of folded greaseproof paper. Tie with string.
Cook, covered in a water bath, for 3 hours. Keep 4-5cm (1-2in) simmering water in the pan at all times. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 1 1/4 hours.
Allow to cool and store in a cool, dark place.
Before serving, steam for an hour in a saucepan (or for 30mins in a pressure cooker). Flame with brandy and serve with all the usual asides.
No-fat Christmas Pudding
As mentioned above, this pudding is much lighter and completelyfat-free. It's also vegetarian, so make this one if you havenon-meateaters coming round. This pudding will not keep for very long. So don't make it more than 2-3 weeks before Christmas.
To serve four:
- 2 medium-sized apples
- 2 bananas
- 50g (2oz) walnuts
- 50g (2oz) almonds
- 50g (2oz) hazelnuts
- 4 eggs
- 150ml (5 fl oz) milk
- 450g (1lb) mixed dried fruit
- juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 450g (1lb) freshly made wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 50g (2oz) soft brown sugar
Grate the apples without peeling them. Peel and roughly chop the bananas and nuts. Break the eggs and whisk with the milk.
Mix all the ingredients together and stir well.
Place into one or two well-greased pudding basins and cover with folded greaseproof paper. Tie round with string.
Steam for 3-4 hours in a covered pan with 5cm (2in) simmering water.Check the water level at intervals and don't allow to boil dry. Thencool and store.
To re-heat, steam for an hour before turning out.
Other Essentially England Christmas Food Pages...
Bread Sauce
Cranberry Sauce
Cumberland Sauce
Chestnut Soup
Brussels Sprouts
Roast Goose
Yule Log
Mulled Wine
Christmas Pudding
Yorkshire Pudding
Mince Pies
Mincemeat
For more Christmas recipes, return from the Christmas Pudding page to the recipes page.
