Granny's Christmas Pudding
Christmas 2020. My mum had lost the recipe for Granny's Christmas pudding and was forced to resort to another. It did not go down well. Thankfully, by January 2021, my aunty had saved the day - she had a copy and my cousin typed it up and sent it to my mum (thank you, Cathren!), so this pudding is back on our Christmas table and, perhaps, yours too. The nuts are optional - I don't include them as I'm allergic.
As my mum was looking for the recipe, she came across a poem my Granny had written - it was tucked inside mum's recipe book. It seems apt to share Granny's poem on this page, alongside her beloved recipe.
It's tradition to make Christmas pudding on the last Sunday before Advent (at the end of November). This allows enough time for the flavour to develop before Christmas Day. The name 'Stir Up Sunday' comes from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer: on the last Sunday before Advent, the collect (prayer) reads 'Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded.' Some of the congregation took the words as a literal reminder to stir up the pudding and bring forth the fruit... Stir-Up Sunday was born.
With such preparation and excited anticipation, no wonder Mrs Cratchit is nervous about serving her Christmas pudding on Christmas Day in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol: 'Suppose it should not be done enough. Suppose it should break in turning out!' In Victorian times, in the many houses without a range, the pudding would be steamed in the copper (the household's 'washing machine': a copper bowl - suspended over a fire - in which clothes would normally be washed). Amid the 'great deal of steam' and a smell 'like a washing-day', Mrs Cratchit emerges 'smiling proudly' and carrying the pudding ceremoniously. Their poverty means that the pudding is rather too small for the Cratchit family, but they are endlessly grateful and no one utters anything but positive exclamations about the 'speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm'. Mr Cratchit even calls it the 'greatest success achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage'. Perhaps my Grandpa paid Granny the same compliment as she served up this winner...!
The variety of ingredients that come together in the Christmas pudding was the inspiration behind Nancy Mitford's novel of the same name. For her, the pudding reflects the eclectic mix of people and customs that epitomises Christmas in the story: 'every year at Compton Bobbin the German and the Sussex customs were made to play their appointed parts. Thus the Christmas Tree, Christmas stockings, and other activities of Santa Claus, and the exchange through the post of endless cards and calendars (German); the mistletoe and holly decorations, the turkeys, the boar's head, and a succession of carol singers and mummers (Sussex Roman Catholic); and the unlimited opportunity to over-eat on every sort of unwholesome food washed down with honest beer, which forms the groundwork for both schools of thought, combined to provide the ingredients of Lady Bobbin's Christmas Pudding'. The often curious, and sometimes difficult, collection of people find common ground on one matter, at least: the importance of festive food and drink.
As much as it takes centre stage in a British Christmas, the Christmas pudding itself is German in origin. Its history and composition, therefore, makes the Christmas pud a great symbol for the mixing and merging of customs, families, and personalities that occur at this time of year. Placed on the table, 'blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top' (Dickens), the pudding and the ceremony that surrounds it have the power to unify, however briefly, everyone - or at least their attention and taste buds! - in one murmur of delight that echoes that of the Cratchit family: 'Oh, a wonderful pudding!'
This recipe makes 1 x 1 litre pudding and 1 x 1/2 litre pudding (perhaps one to give away as a gift?). You could make about three half litre puddings, or more even smaller ones, for miniature gifts.
As this recipe uses a traditional steaming method, you don't require any fancy equipment, but a pressure cooker will reduce steaming time by about a third. If you are using mixed fruit instead, round the amount up to 800g to ensure a good variety of fruit.
Ingredients
Method
1. Grease the pudding basins.
2. Prepare the ingredients: chop the cherries and nuts (if using), grate the lemon, squeeze the juice, beat the eggs, make the breadcrumbs. Weigh out all the other ingredients.
Christmas 2020. My mum had lost the recipe for Granny's Christmas pudding and was forced to resort to another. It did not go down well. Thankfully, by January 2021, my aunty had saved the day - she had a copy and my cousin typed it up and sent it to my mum (thank you, Cathren!), so this pudding is back on our Christmas table and, perhaps, yours too. The nuts are optional - I don't include them as I'm allergic.
As my mum was looking for the recipe, she came across a poem my Granny had written - it was tucked inside mum's recipe book. It seems apt to share Granny's poem on this page, alongside her beloved recipe.
It's tradition to make Christmas pudding on the last Sunday before Advent (at the end of November). This allows enough time for the flavour to develop before Christmas Day. The name 'Stir Up Sunday' comes from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer: on the last Sunday before Advent, the collect (prayer) reads 'Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded.' Some of the congregation took the words as a literal reminder to stir up the pudding and bring forth the fruit... Stir-Up Sunday was born.
With such preparation and excited anticipation, no wonder Mrs Cratchit is nervous about serving her Christmas pudding on Christmas Day in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol: 'Suppose it should not be done enough. Suppose it should break in turning out!' In Victorian times, in the many houses without a range, the pudding would be steamed in the copper (the household's 'washing machine': a copper bowl - suspended over a fire - in which clothes would normally be washed). Amid the 'great deal of steam' and a smell 'like a washing-day', Mrs Cratchit emerges 'smiling proudly' and carrying the pudding ceremoniously. Their poverty means that the pudding is rather too small for the Cratchit family, but they are endlessly grateful and no one utters anything but positive exclamations about the 'speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm'. Mr Cratchit even calls it the 'greatest success achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage'. Perhaps my Grandpa paid Granny the same compliment as she served up this winner...!
The variety of ingredients that come together in the Christmas pudding was the inspiration behind Nancy Mitford's novel of the same name. For her, the pudding reflects the eclectic mix of people and customs that epitomises Christmas in the story: 'every year at Compton Bobbin the German and the Sussex customs were made to play their appointed parts. Thus the Christmas Tree, Christmas stockings, and other activities of Santa Claus, and the exchange through the post of endless cards and calendars (German); the mistletoe and holly decorations, the turkeys, the boar's head, and a succession of carol singers and mummers (Sussex Roman Catholic); and the unlimited opportunity to over-eat on every sort of unwholesome food washed down with honest beer, which forms the groundwork for both schools of thought, combined to provide the ingredients of Lady Bobbin's Christmas Pudding'. The often curious, and sometimes difficult, collection of people find common ground on one matter, at least: the importance of festive food and drink.
As much as it takes centre stage in a British Christmas, the Christmas pudding itself is German in origin. Its history and composition, therefore, makes the Christmas pud a great symbol for the mixing and merging of customs, families, and personalities that occur at this time of year. Placed on the table, 'blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top' (Dickens), the pudding and the ceremony that surrounds it have the power to unify, however briefly, everyone - or at least their attention and taste buds! - in one murmur of delight that echoes that of the Cratchit family: 'Oh, a wonderful pudding!'
This recipe makes 1 x 1 litre pudding and 1 x 1/2 litre pudding (perhaps one to give away as a gift?). You could make about three half litre puddings, or more even smaller ones, for miniature gifts.
As this recipe uses a traditional steaming method, you don't require any fancy equipment, but a pressure cooker will reduce steaming time by about a third. If you are using mixed fruit instead, round the amount up to 800g to ensure a good variety of fruit.
Ingredients
- 225g currants
- 225g sultanas
- 225g raisins
- 100g candied peel
- 50g glace cherries, chopped
- 100g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 100g ground almonds
- 1 lemon (grated rind and juice)
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 200g suet (or vegetarian equivalent)
- 200g breadcrumbs
- 5 medium eggs
- 100g chopped nuts (optional - I personally don't include these)
- 1 x 1 litre pudding basin, greased
- 1 x 1/2 litre pudding basin, greased
- 2 circles of greaseproof paper
- Aluminum foil
Method
1. Grease the pudding basins.
2. Prepare the ingredients: chop the cherries and nuts (if using), grate the lemon, squeeze the juice, beat the eggs, make the breadcrumbs. Weigh out all the other ingredients.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in big bowl.
4. Pour the mixture into the greased basin. Pack it down fairly firmly using the back of a spoon, to make sure the mixture is compressed.
5. Cover the tops with a circle of greaseproof paper and then a layer of foil. Secure with string.
5. Cover the tops with a circle of greaseproof paper and then a layer of foil. Secure with string.
6. Steam for 2 hours:
This is quicker if you have a pressure cooker: the 1 litre pudding will take about 3 hours to steam, while the half litre pudding will take about 1 and a half hours. Follow the pressure cooker maker's instructions. Normally, you need to pour water between the pressure cooker and the pudding basin; the water level should reach about a third of the way up the pudding basin. Keep checking the water level during cooking, and top it up if necessary. If you have an older pressure cooker, half a lemon in the water will stop the pan from discolouring.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can create a makeshift steamer by placing the puddings into the largest pans you've got, with a steamer plate/insert in the bottom. Pour water around the pudding bowl, half way up, and then bring to a simmer (not a boil). Put the lid on and steam for about 6 hours (1 litre pudding) or 3 hours (1/2 litre pudding), checking the water levels during the cooking, and topping up if needed.
The pudding is cooked when it is dark and firm.
7. Cool and then wrap carefully in foil and store in the fridge (or in the freezer, if preserving it for longer than three months). On the day you want to serve the pudding, cook (in the same way as before) for about 1 hour until fully warmed through. Serve with brandy cream.
This is quicker if you have a pressure cooker: the 1 litre pudding will take about 3 hours to steam, while the half litre pudding will take about 1 and a half hours. Follow the pressure cooker maker's instructions. Normally, you need to pour water between the pressure cooker and the pudding basin; the water level should reach about a third of the way up the pudding basin. Keep checking the water level during cooking, and top it up if necessary. If you have an older pressure cooker, half a lemon in the water will stop the pan from discolouring.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can create a makeshift steamer by placing the puddings into the largest pans you've got, with a steamer plate/insert in the bottom. Pour water around the pudding bowl, half way up, and then bring to a simmer (not a boil). Put the lid on and steam for about 6 hours (1 litre pudding) or 3 hours (1/2 litre pudding), checking the water levels during the cooking, and topping up if needed.
The pudding is cooked when it is dark and firm.
7. Cool and then wrap carefully in foil and store in the fridge (or in the freezer, if preserving it for longer than three months). On the day you want to serve the pudding, cook (in the same way as before) for about 1 hour until fully warmed through. Serve with brandy cream.
A Take on The Twelve Days of Christmas - a poem by my grandmother, Kathleen White My dear true love – I’m truly grateful For three French Hens – a marvellous plateful To put upon my Christmas table But next, I must say I’m hardly able To thank you for your generous gift Of five swans swimming so l’ll be swift To acknowledge all the rest you’ve sent me (Though I can’t hang them on the tree) But I find it hard to express my pleasure At receiving such a marvellous treasure As eleven gorgeous ladies dancing Prancing, backing and advancing All these presents will guarantee The very best Christmas that’s happened to me So love and kisses to you, my dear, And my affection will last throughout the year. |