Christmas Pudding Enjoyed Since 1420
Have ever tried a bit of Christmas pudding? This classic dessert is traditionally eaten in Ireland and England on Christmas Day and has been enjoyed each holiday season as far back as 1420.
Christmas pudding is a steamed pudding (basically a type of solid dessert) that includes tons of dried fruit and nuts and a lot of fat. The pudding is quite dark (brown or almost black) in color because of dark sugars and a lengthy cooking time and it generally has the same consistency as a kind heavy sponge cake. Fruit juice, brandy and other alcohol (like dark beers) are also added. Most families have their own unique recipe so puddings can vary.
According to my husband, the pudding is cooked months before December 25th and then left to sit until the holiday rolls around, although he’s not entirely sure why. (I’m pretty sure it has something to do with fermentation, so let’s go with that.) What my husband does know for sure is that come Christmas day, he enjoys when his mother hands him a warm bowl of pudding generously covered in custard – ice cream and cream are also fine accompaniments.
One last cool detail about serving this dessert that I have to share is that often times before it is served, it is covered in brandy and then set on fire which is all very exciting. Rumor has it that my husband is smuggling back a Christmas pudding from Ireland for my American family this year. I’ll let you all know if he burns his eyebrows off.
If you’re interested in making your own pudding, click here for a recipe.
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hope the pudding made it and it was eventually drowned in brandy and custard!
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