Christmas colchester pudding | Fruit recipes | Jamie Oliver (2024)

FAQs

What is the famous British Christmas pudding? ›

Known initially as Pottage, it has also been called Plum Pudding, Figgy Pudding, and Frumenty. Traditionally, Christmas Pudding is served with a healthy drizzle of thick, delicious brandy sauce, which makes this dessert even more indulgent.

It's the flaming center of the climactic meal of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and pops up in carols themselves: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” has two whole verses about demanding figgy pudding.

The Stir-Up Sunday tradition dates back to the Victorian era, when families would meet to stir the Christmas pudding five weeks before December 25, read 21st November. In fact, the opening words of the Book of Common Prayer are: 'Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people'.

A luxury website in the UK has started selling the world's most expensive Christmas pudding for a staggering $37,000 (£23,000).

The tinned pudding is believed to be one of the oldest in the world. A 120-year-old Christmas pudding given to Royal Navy sailors fighting in the Boer War has gone on display.

You can't get through the Christmas season without hearing about it, but have you ever stopped wondering what figgy pudding is? In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, you read that Mrs. Cratchit proudly presented to her guests her Christmas pudding, resembling a speckled cannonball.

It's also been called plum pudding or figgy pudding, which we know from songs, but what is it, exactly? It's nothing like what Americans call pudding, which is a custard of milk and eggs with flavoring. It's closer to fruitcake, although there's no cake in it, and it's boiled instead of baked.

The plum pudding was one tradition that saw a resurgence in popularity. Today we easily reach for a plum pudding in the supermarket, but how did they look in the Victorian era? Let's sneak a look into Mrs Cratchit's kitchen as she makes an old fashioned Victorian Christmas pudding.

Since traditional Christmas pudding is made with a variety of dried fruits and nuts along with eggs and suet (animal fat)- the high content of the liquor helps it taste better and better over time, with no risk of spoiling even two years after they are made!

Religious significance

It is believed that a Christmas pudding must contain thirteen ingredients. These ingredients each represent Jesus and each of his twelve disciples. Traditionally, brandy is poured over the Christmas pudding and set aflame before serving. The flames are believed to represent Christ's passion.

What is the thimble in Christmas pudding? ›

If you're old enough you will remember Christmas puddings containing coins that were said to bring the finder good luck. Before coins, charms were put inside Christmas puddings including a silver coin for wealth, a wishbone for luck, a thimble for thrift, a ring for marriage and an anchor for safe harbour.

Classically, the meal will start with oysters and/or foie gras, continue with turkey – often with chestnut stuffing (get someone to send you sage and onion from Britain; the chestnut stuff is grim), cheese and then dessert. It is a mark of France's civilisation that the nation has never embraced the Christmas pudding.

How do I flame the Christmas pudding? Turn out the steamed pudding onto a serving plate with a good-sized rim around the edge to catch any spirit. The important thing is to get the spirit really hot. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of brandy, rum or whisky into a long-handled metal ladle and heat it over a gas flame until hot.

The UK and its sticky toffee pudding

It's been crowned Britain's favourite dessert over the years, so it's no surprise that it makes its way to the Christmas dinner table. However, some might argue it's a little heavy going post-Christmas dinner…

You're forgiven if you think Christmas Pudding is the round English version of an American fruitcake. While it has similarities, they are altogether different. Both improve with age and include dried fruits, chopped nuts, hearty spices, and steep in a cold dark spot for weeks, but that is where the similarities end.

What Is Figgy Pudding Made Of? Traditional figgy pudding is a holiday dish made with flour, suet (a type of hard animal fat), figs, and other dried fruits. Some more modern versions, like this one, are made without suet.

Figgy Pudding

“Now bring us some figgy pudding” is the well-known refrain of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas." So, here it is. This seasonal favorite is essentially the same as a Christmas pudding but with the sweet addition of – wait for it – figs.