Ancient, delicious and aromatic British Christmas pudding

Dating back to the 14th century, Christmas pudding is part of the traditional British Christmas meal.

The dish, which has evolved considerably in the last few hundred years, has never managed to get much traction in the U.S. Perhaps it is because the word ‘pudding’ implies to Americans a creamy dish, rather than this delicious dough-like dessert.

Here is one of the hundreds of variations on Christmas pudding.

1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried or candied figs,
chopped small
1/2 cup dried or
candied dates, chopped small
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup shredded suet
1 large apple, peeled,
cored and chopped
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 eggs
Juice of one lemon
Rind of one lemon
4 tablespoons dark rum
1 cup milk

Choose a deep, round ceramic or glass mixing bowl for the pudding basin. This bowl will be steamed in the cooking process.

Now choose a larger, deep pot. A stock pot will do. Put a trivet into the stock pot. This stock pot will be used to boil the pudding basin, and the basin will be placed on the trivet.

Grease the pudding basin.

In another large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and fruit. Mix well. Add eggs, lemon juice, and rind, rum and milk then mix well.

Place the mixture in the pudding basin and layer a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over the pudding mixture.

Next, cover the pudding basin with aluminum foil and tie around the edge tightly to keep any water from getting inside.

Carefully set the pudding basin on the trivet inside the stock pot. Fill the stock pot with water up to the edge of the pudding basin. Bring stock pot to a boil, covered. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about five hours.

The steaming is part of the fun. Your house will be filled with lovely Christmas aromas. No scented candles needed.

Remove the basin from the stock pot at the end of the cooking time and allow it to cool, after which it can be stored for a couple of days, wrapped in the refrigerator. Steam or microwave to reheat before you turn out the pudding for serving.

You can serve it with a sprig of holly to be completely authentic. Or you can add a sweet custard drizzle.