Home › The Principles of Cookery › Christmas Plum Pudding (National dish and is not)

Christmas Plum Pudding (National dish and is not)

The plum pudding is a national dish, and is not appreciated by foreign nations because they never succeed in their attempts to make it. In almost every family there is a recipe for it, which has been handed down from mother to daughter through two or three generations, and which never has been and never will be equalled, much less surpassed, by any other. Three or four recipes are here given, every one of which has been proved and approved. Every ingredient composing these puddings should be fresh and good, as one bad article, and especially one bad egg, will spoil the whole. The puddings are, we think, better when boiled in moulds, which should be well buttered before the mixture is put in, should be quite full, and should be covered with one or two folds of paper floured and buttered, and then with a floured pudding-cloth. When bread is used, which makes a pudding lighter than flour, a little room should be allowed for swelling. A pinch of salt should always be remembered, as it brings out the flavour of the other ingredients. After it is tied in the cloth the pudding should be put into boiling water, and kept boiling until it is taken off, when it should be plunged quickly into a basin of cold water; by this means it will be less likely to break when turned out of the mould. It is usual, before sending it to table, to make a little hole in the top and fill it with brandy, then light it, and serve it in a blaze. In olden times a sprig or arbutus, with a red berry on it, was stuck in the middle, and a twig of variegated holly, with berries, placed on each side. This was done to keep away witches. It is a good plan to mix much more than is needed, and to make several puddings instead of one, boil all together, and warm one up when necessary. If well made, Christmas plum pudding will be good for twelve months. It should be boiled for eight or nine hours some days before it is wanted; and when it is to be used, plunged again into boiling water, and boiled for at least two hours.