Christmas Pudding - All you need to know ....and more.
Christmas pudding has long been a tradition to finish off the Christmas dinner, especially in the U. christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a Christmas pudding. It is a traditional image that you see everywhere. On cards, paintings, TV shows. But what do you know about the origins of the Christmas pudding?
The original Christmas pudding was very different from what it is today. The original pudding could contain rabbit, pheasant and other poultry. Only over time was more fruit added until it began to take on its present form.
If we go back seven hundred years, we can find a porridge-like dish called frumenty. This was made by boiling beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines and spices. It was more of a soup than a pudding and was eaten in the run up to Christmas, rather than on the day itself.
Over time, it was thickened with eggs, breadcrumbs, dried fruit and given more flavor by adding ale and spirits. It took on the name ‘plum pudding’ and became a treat for Christmas. of course, the Puritans objected to such frivolity and plum pudding was banned.
It was thanks to George I that pudding was revived. He tried some and liked it. Despite some opposition from religious extremists, plum pudding was reestablished. Over time, meat was completely removed and replaced by more fruit. Just to really annoy the Puritans, people began to splash brandy on the pudding and then set it alight.
However, it wasn’t until much later that Christmas Pudding achieved its current popularity. Once again it was Prince Albert, who did so much to establish Christmas traditions, who popularised it. The pudding that he championed was much as it is today.
There are many weird, wonderful and strange traditions associated with the Christmas pudding. These include the belief that the pudding should be made by 25th Sunday after Trinity, with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples. Each member of the family had to stir the pudding, from east to west to represent the journey of the three Kings.
Setting the Brandy aflame for some represented Christ’s passion. Christ’s crown of thorns is represented by the thorn on the top of the pudding. or perhaps it was simply that holly was seen as a good luck emblem? Coins were added into the pudding for luck. If you found a coin, your wish would be granted.
So how do we make a Christmas pudding these days? I have to admit that I have never made one. However, i found this recipe, which i hope you like.
Traditional Christmas pudding.
You need to make your pudding several weeks before Christmas. The ingredients need to ‘marry’ together. It is an effort to do it but many people think it is well worthwhile.
This will make enough to fill a 2 pint pudding basin.
8oz (240 grams) currants8oz (240 grams) sultanas1lb (480 grams) seedless raisins4oz (120 grams) mixed citrus peel8oz (240 grams) bread crumbs8oz (240 grams) suet8oz (240 grams) soft brown sugar4oz (120 grams) plain flour1 large carrot1oz (30 grams) ground almonds? tsp mixed spice4 eggs2 tblsps black treacle2 tbslps golden syrupº tsp grated nutmegGrated rind of 1 lemon4 fl oz brandy8 fl oz stout3Pinch of salt
Method:
1.Using a large mixing bowl mix all the dry ingredients together. Clean your fruit well.
2.Peel and grate the carrot and add to the mixture.
3.Beat the eggs well in a separate bowl then add, along with the treacle and golden syrup to the other ingredients
4.Pour in the brandy.
5.Add the stout to make the mix moist but too ‘runny’.
6.Give the pudding a final stir, let all the members of the family have a stir if following the Christmas pudding traditions, make a wish and leave to stand for a short while.
7.Grease the pudding basin well.
8.Put the mixture into the basin and cover with either greaseproof paper or cooking foil.
Cooking hints.
Make a fold in the foil to allow plenty of room for the mixture to expand without the foil splitting.
Use household string to tie the foil in place and make a ‘handle’ with it at the same time. This makes it easy lift the cooked pudding out of the pan when cooked.
For a more intense flavor, the dried fruits can be soaked in the Brandy and ale for 2 days before making the cake. This allows the fruit to absorb the liquid and develop the flavors further.
Steaming your Christmas Pudding: Takes 8-9 hours
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Gently lower the basin into the pan, taking care that the liquid doesn’t come over the top. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Check the pudding every couple of hours to make sure that the water hasn’t boiled dry and top up when necessary. If you have made your string handle you should be able to carefully lift the pudding out after the cooking time by using a wooden spoon.
After Cooking
If you used greaseproof paper, remove it and replace with fresh. Foil covers can be safely left if they are intact. Leave the pudding to cool. Once cooled store in a dark place until Christmas Day.
On Christmas Day.
Place your pudding in a large pan of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for an hour, making sure it does not boil dry.
To Serve:
Turn the pudding out onto a suitable serving plate, decorate with a sprig of holly. If using Brandy, gently heat this in a metal ladle over a low flame or in a pan, do not boil. Pour over Christmas pudding a set alight immediately.
Serve with mince pies, cream or custard or Brandy butter.