Christmas Pudding

  “In half a minute Mrs. Cratchit entered – flushed, but smiling proudly – with the pudding. Like a speckled cannon ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedlight with Christmas holly stuck into the top.”
- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

  ‘Twas the night before Christmas and not a creature was stirring, except, of course, those Brits who cannot wait for Christmas Day and find themselves cutting an oversized slice of Christmas pudding, complete with brandy and flame.

  Like the star is to the Christmas tree and presents are to children, the Christmas pudding compliments the Christmas dinner perfectly with its seasonal aroma, sumptuous taste and soft texture. It is far from the traditional lighted birthday cake, which usually looks good on the outside but is as dry as a bone on the inside; Christmas pudding, in all its fiery glory, is as provocative on the tongue as it is on the eye.

  Originally made from savoury ingredients – chopped poultry, pheasant, partridge and rabbit – Christmas pudding originates from the middle ages in England and caused controversy amongst the puritans, who claimed it was unfit for God-worshippers; perhaps it was the potent alcohol content or the hellish flames? More likely is that the puritans were unnerved by something that was not sex but sent people into similar throes of pleasure - a new sin to suppress in the battle for innocence! This form of pleasure was brazen and unashamed and could be indulged in public; indeed, Christmas pudding need not be kept concealed in a backstreet brothel, but could be flaunted openly on food shelves. In 1714 it was finally awarded the royal seal of approval, when George I experimented with the dessert and enjoyed it so much he was later nicknamed “the pudding king.”

  Ironically, the thirteen ingredients used to make the pudding were later said to represent Christ and his disciples, so there really is no more innocent dessert – other than fruit salad, a dieter’s old faithful. Nowadays, it is safe imagine even the pope enjoying guilt-free pleasure from the Christmas pudding, which, on Christmas day, he probably does at the Vatican. “Simply divine,” he must mumble between mouthfuls, “in every sense of the word.”

  Children were urged to help cook the pudding on ‘stir-up Sunday’, at the beginning of the advent, and stirred the pudding from East to West in honour of the three kings. Setting the brandy alight represented God’s passion while the sprig of holly used as a garnish symbolised Christ’s crown of thorns. In reality, the Christmas pudding should be more of an Easter dessert as it is more associated with Christ’s resurrection than his birth. Some even save a portion of the pudding to serve at Easter, or other occasions throughout the year. Nevertheless, the pudding has been fostered by Christmas and after years of being integrated into the season’s traditions, culture and literature, it would be impossible to remove it – not that anybody would want to, rest assured.

  We can be thankful that contemporary connoisseurs have developed a sweeter palette than our medieval ancestors and Christmas pudding is now made with sweet ingredients – raisins, currants, spices, sugar and nuts - and the main meat to grace the table on 25 December is the turkey.

  The pudding should be boiled or steamed and should be dark in appearance, preferably black. The texture should be moist to the touch and should be easily broken by a spoon or fork. It is usually served with brandy butter, cream or custard – any number of accompaniments will sit well, so long as the pudding has a competent cook at the helm.

  Each family has a variation on both the cooking technique and timing, usually passed down from generations. Some families have even been known to cook the pudding a whole year in advance, but many food critics say this drains the flavour from the Christmas classic.

  When the mother – the Mrs. Cratchit of every family – ceremoniously brings the Christmas pudding to the table there are usually several coins hidden inside which, when found by the receiver, brings good luck and wealth. In the past, thimbles and buttons were also added to the pudding, condemning the receiver to a lifetime as a bachelor or a spinster. This gloomier tradition petered out; no doubt as British girl Bridget Jones will agree, nobody needs reminding of a lack of partner, particularly at Christmastime under the mistletoe. So the only taste that Christmas pudding leaves in the mouth now is, on the whole, a sweet one.

  At the Prestonfield Hotel in Edinburgh, guests can expect to splash out £300 for Scotland’s most expensive Christmas pudding. Made from one of the world’s rarest whiskies and dusted with 22-carat gold leaf flakes, Prestonfield’s £40-a-mouthful Christmas pudding is the ultimate in seasonal indulgence. Before its debut on the a la carte menu, Prestonfield Hotel owner, James Thompson, said of the decadent dessert: “I think it will be very popular because people want to indulge themselves over Christmas and try something different. It is a time to spoil your loved ones and yourself with great food and drink.”

  Surprisingly, the most expensive ingredient in the pudding is not the gold flakes, but the 50-year-old malt ingredient, which sells for a staggering £6,000 a bottle. Each serving uses £250 pounds worth of the malt, which accounts for the hefty price tag. Fortunately, Christmas is a time to eat, drink and above all, be merry - and most would need to be merry to spend more on dessert than the room.

  Of course, there are a wide variety of luxury delicatessens and shops from which to purchase a Christmas pudding, including Harrods and Selfridge’s Food Hall, both in London, but probably the most sought-after pudding lies at Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly.

  There is one injustice about this particular pudding, however; one that comes in a lavish purple, orange and gold box and uses only the finest ingredients deserves to be under the tree rather than on the table. If we were not so familiar with the world’s most luxurious brands and how each is boxed, what lies inside the Fortnum and Mason Christmas pudding box could easily be a Tiffany necklace or a Cartier watch. Still, the celebratory silhouettes printed on the front – champagne glasses raised - remind us that however luxurious the packaging, the pudding is to be opened and enjoyed, rather than stored away and savoured. Without a doubt, Fortnum and Mason’s Christmas pudding, using Pusser’s British Navy Rum and Fortnum and Mason cognac, really is the cream of the Christmas crop.

  Established since 1707, the store itself is quintessentially British with its plush red carpet, gold trims and crystal chandeliers. Fortnum and Mason is a throwback to the Victorian era, a place that is Christmassy even when it is not Christmas. The ladies and gentlemen who brave the London chill to pick up their Fortnum and Mason pudding float for a minute or two over the counter, mentally calculating how many guests will be in attendance at their particular Christmas dinner, then choose the largest size pudding regardless of the answer. With Christmas pudding it is certain there will not be any waste, as pudding leftovers of the Fortnum and Mason variety are significantly more tempting than turkey sandwiches.

  Whether you make or buy one, a Christmas pudding always requires money spent on it and Scrooges are advised to avoid it altogether. However, it is not only the monetary value that is high but also the nutritional value. Packed with dried fruit, Christmas pudding is an ideal way to get your five a day - and let’s face it, there are worse ways to go about getting them, particularly if British diet guru Gillian McKeith has anything to do with it, who would have you nibbling on Aduki beans well into the new year.

  Sadly, it’s not all sugar-coated news as some Christmas puddings have over 800 calories. But ultimately, there can be no bah-humbug when it comes to Christmas puddings – if you find yourself counting calories at Christmas, count yourself out altogether as Christmas puddings are not designed to be dissected, only devoured.

  What is unusual about Christmas pudding is that by the time it comes to eat it - after the wine, the starter and the main course - most are full. Yet each and every year the Christmas pudding still gets cooked, almost as if its absence would somehow detract from the magic of Christmas day. Certainly, its richness only allows for a small portion to be taken by any modest dinner guest, but with its halo of purple flames the Christmas pudding reminds us of both the historical and religious implications of Christmas and brings the family together in mutual festive joy – and there’s nothing sweeter than that.

  Add a little British Christmas magic to your dinner table this year – you won’t regret it, I promise.


Make this pudding anywhere from a couple weeks to months before Christmas day.Feed it with alchol regulary and allow the flavours to fully develop.

1. 225g / 8oz golden caster sugar
2. 225g / 8oz vegetarian suet
3. 340g / 12oz sultanas
4. 340g / 12oz raisins
5. 225g / 8oz currants
6. 110g / 4oz candied peel, chopped
7. 110g / 4oz plain flour
8. 110g / 4oz fresh white breadcrumbs
9. 55g / 2oz flaked almonds
10. 1 lemon, zest only
11. 5 eggs, beaten
12. 1 evel tsp ground cinnamon
13. 1 level tsp mixed spice
14. 5g / 1 level tsp freshly grated nutmeg
15. pinch of salt
16. 150ml / 5fl oz brandy or rum

1. Lightly grease 4x600ml/1 pint or 2x1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basins.
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients.
3. Stir in the eggs and brandy and mix well.
4. Spoon the mix into basins. Put a circle of baking parchment and foil over the top of each basin and tie securely with string. Make a string handle from one side of the basin to the other so it is easier to pick the basin out of the pan after cooking.
5. Put the basins in a large steamer of boiling water and cover with a lid. Boil for 5-6 hours, topping the boiling water up from time to time, if necessary. If you do not have a steamer, put the basins in a large pan on inverted saucers on the base. Pour in boiling water to come a third of the way up the sides of the pudding bowls. Cover and steam as before.
6. Cool. Change the baking parchment and foil covers for fresh ones and tie up as before. Store in a cool cupboard until Christmas Day.
7. To serve: steam for 2 hours and serve with brandy butter, rum sauce, cream or homemade custard.