Plum Pudding Mahogany Armoire
Could there be anything more traditionally English than Christmas Pudding? However it turns out again to be a Victorian introduction, albeit by co-opting the very well established Plum Pudding to seasonal duties.
Stir-Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, is considered the final day on which one can make the Christmas fruit cakes and puddings that require time to be aged before being served. The Collect of the Church of England for this Sunday begins, "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of they faithful people, what they plenteously bring forth the fruit of good works..." This prayer was parodied by the choirboys: "Stir up, we beseech thee, the pudding in the pot. And when we do get home tonight, we'll eat it up hot." The Christmas pudding is traditionally "stirred up" on this day. All family members must take a hand in the stirring, and a special wooden spoon (in honour of Christ's crib) is used. The stirring must be in a clockwise direction, with eyes shut, while making a secret wish.
The Customs and Ceremonies of Britain - Charles Kightly.
Unfortunately my Gran’s favourite family recipe is lost but this recipe filched from the internet and slightly modified is the best I have tried, having used it for many years now. Kudos to the eponymous Paul!
Paul’s Traditional Christmas Pudding
serves 8-10
4 oz (110 g) shredded suet (finely minced or grated)
2 oz (50 g) self-raising flour
4 oz (110 g) fresh white breadcrumbs
1 level teaspoon ground mixed spice (try one with lots of spices like coriander, cassia, pimento, cloves & ginger as well as cinnamon & nutmeg)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon of freshly ground cinnamon
8 oz (225 g) soft dark brown sugar
4 oz (110 g) sultanas
4 oz (110 g) raisins
4 oz (110 g) prunes pitted and coarsely chopped (can substitute dried dates)
10 oz (275 g) currants
1 oz (25 g) mixed candied peel finely chopped
1 oz (25 g) almonds blanched and chopped
1 small apple peeled, cored and grated
grated zest of large orange
grated zest of large lemon
2 large eggs
2 fl oz (120 ml) Guinness or other stout
2 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp Muscat
2 pint(UK) (1.2 litre) pudding bowl lightly greased
Start the day before you want to steam the pudding.
In a large mixing bowl add the suet, sifted flour. Mix gently, add the bread crumbs (fresh not packet), salt, spices and sugar and mix well together.
Gradually add and mix in all the dried fruit, mixed peel and nuts followed by the apple and the grated orange and lemon zest.
In a smaller bowl measure out the muscat, brandy and Guinness.
Add the eggs and beat thoroughly.
Pour this over all the other ingredients in the large bowl.
Mix very thoroughly. We follow the tradition that everyone in the household should have a turn. The mixture should have a fairly sloppy consistency, falling instantly from the spoon when tapped against the side of the bowl.
If more liquid is needed add a little more Guinness.
Cover the bowl and leave in a cool dark place overnight (fridge in southern climes) to allow the dry ingredients time to absorb the liquid.
Next day pack the mixture, which will be drier and stiffer, into the greased bowl.
Cover it with a double sheet of greaseproof paper and a sheet of foil and tie it securely with string.
Before tying off around the top, lay two pieces of string across the top and under the circular loop, these are to be tied off as a handle.
Always be very careful when inserting and removing the pudding bowl, supporting the bottom and being careful not to scald yourself.
Put the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan or in shallow simmering water, put lid on, and steam the pudding for 7-8 hours.
Make sure the water is topped up with boiling water regularly as needed.
When the pudding is cooked let it cool right down.
Remove the papers and foil and replace them with some fresh ones, again making a string handle.
Store it in a cool dark place, lasts for up to a year or more if stored properly and certainly improves with age.
To re-heat on the day, steam for 1-2 hours.
Turn out on to a warmed serving plate and serve with a choice of cream, custard, hard sauce, or whatever your favourite pudding accompaniment.
The whole pudding can be flamed with a little warmed brandy before serving.
Suet can be had from most good butchers and some supermarket baking sections.
Fresh breadcrumbs are particularly important - substitute at your peril! I just use sliced white loaf with the crusts cut off and put through the processor on high for a few seconds.
Microwaving is not recommended as a reheating method.
I have made this for vegetarian friends with vegetable shortening instead of suet and it works, if a little less well.
Old fashioned (real) silver coins can be added late in the mixing stage but remember to warn your diners!
A family pudding story: one Christmas everyone had eaten so much of my Gran's dinner that there was very little interest in the pudding until my Pa pulled a folded up pound note out of his mouth with much, “well what do we have here”, which resulted in the remaining pudding disappearing in record time, although the kids only seemed to be able to find thruppences.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!