Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding from Bracknell, Berkshire

Christmaspuddingonahook

Stirring christmas pudding

Christmas pudding (Heston from Waitrose) flaming

Christmas pudding is a type of pudding traditionally served as part of the Christmas dinner in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and in other countries where it has been brought by British and Irish immigrants. It has its origins in medieval England, and is sometimes known as plum pudding or simply pud.

History

The origins of Christmas pudding date back to the 14th century when a porridge called frumenty was made. This was a type of porridge made with beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines, and spices. By the 16th century, this had evolved into a plum pudding, which was thickened with eggs, breadcrumbs, and dried fruit, and flavored with spirits and spices.

Ingredients

Traditional Christmas pudding is made with suet, which is the hard fat around the kidneys of beef or mutton, although vegetarian versions are also available. Other ingredients include flour, breadcrumbs, sugar, raisins, currants, sultanas, candied peel, spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and alcohol such as brandy or rum.

Preparation

The preparation of Christmas pudding is traditionally done on Stir-up Sunday, which is the last Sunday before the season of Advent. The pudding is steamed for several hours and then stored in a cool, dry place for several weeks to mature. On Christmas Day, it is steamed again for a few hours before serving.

Serving

Christmas pudding is traditionally served with a sprig of holly on top. It is often doused in brandy and set alight before being brought to the table. It is typically served with brandy butter, hard sauce, cream, or custard.

Customs and Traditions

There are many customs associated with Christmas pudding. One tradition is to include small silver coins in the pudding mixture, which are said to bring luck to the person who finds them. Another tradition is for each member of the family to take a turn stirring the pudding mixture while making a wish.

Related Pages

• Christmas
• Christmas dinner
• Plum pudding
• Stir-up Sunday
• Brandy butter
• Hard sauce
• Custard

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