English Christmas Pudding

 

The English often say that talking about the weather on the islands doesn't offend anyone and is always a good conversation starter. Well, aside from the weather and football (only if the other involved in the chat is a fan), at Christmas, it's best to ask an English person about the Pudding their family prepares. It never fails. Recipes are explained in great detail, contrasted, evaluated, discussed, and many people treasure them from generation to generation, avoiding revealing any ingredient they consider a secret. It's a tradition so ingrained that everyone has an opinion on it, and often you feel like it's more of a competition than a culinary element. Also, it must be said, it resembles more alchemy than culinary preparation. When I explain how it's made, you'll understand.

Christmas Pudding has its roots in medieval England, although at that time, it was more a mix of meat and fruits. Over the years, the recipe evolved into the sweeter and spicier version we know today, losing the meat along the way. It started to be documented in the early 18th century, and in the mid-19th century, it became a staple in the Christmas recipes of English families.

This pudding is prepared in advance to age and develop a full flavor before being served on Christmas dinner. The traditional way to store it was to hang it in a cloth in a cool corner of the kitchen, usually for 15 to 20 days (some might argue that their grandmother hung it for three months, sparking discussions about Christmas puddings...). Nowadays, it's probably stored in a cupboard, well-covered, and left to wait.

Often, it's sprinkled with brandy or rum and flambéed, ignited just before serving. If you don't want to risk your kitchen and home or end your Christmas Eve dinner with burnt eyebrows, you can simply heat it briefly in the oven. It's typically served hot, often accompanied by English custard, brandy sauce, or a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Christmas Pudding is, in any case, an iconic part of the Christmas celebration in the UK, and its preparation often involves the whole family.

INGREDIENTS:

• 250g (0.55 lb) breadcrumbs
• 300ml (1 cup and a half) milk
• 180g (0.4 lb) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 180g  (0.4 lb) brown sugar
• 180g (0.4 lb)  suet* (explained in the Mince Pies' recipe; can be substituted with lard, though the taste won't be exactly the same)
• 180g  (0.4 lb) seedless raisins (sultanas or currants)
• 180g  (0.4 lb) currants or mixed candied peel
• 100g (3.5 oz) chopped almonds
• 1 grated apple
• 2 eggs

Soak the breadcrumbs in milk for about an hour.

In a large bowl, mix the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon (dry ingredients).

Add sugar, suet (or previously softened lard in the microwave), raisins, currants, almonds, and grated apple to the flour mixture. Add the grated apple at the last moment to prevent it from oxidizing.

Then, add the soaked breadcrumbs and beaten eggs. Mix everything well.

Pour the mixture into a well-greased, preferably round and deep pudding mold (if you don't have anything else, a family-type flan dish would be suitable).

Cover the mold with parchment paper (also called baking paper) and tie it with a string, so the mold is closed.

Now, steam it for about 7 hours. No joke. Usually, you do this by placing the mold inside a large pot with boiling water, which you then cover. Essentially, it's a water bath, always making sure that the water doesn't splash or overflow, adding more if it evaporates.

This isn't done to cook or bake it, which would happen much faster. It's done for the so-called Maillard reaction. Basically, it's a caramelization whose most evident result is that the pudding will take on a dark, almost black color.

At the end of cooking, remove the paper and let it cool. But it's not ready to be consumed yet.

What English families do is store it in a cool, dark place until Christmas dinner arrives. Tradition says it's made on December 3rd (start of Advent) and finishes with it, that is, on December 24th, Christmas Eve. And finally, that night, you can sink your teeth into it.

The truth is that this pudding is very tasty, despite the waiting time, not suitable for the impatient.