Plum pudding recipes and variations | Australia's Best Recipes

History

Plum pudding can be traced back to the early 15^th century, although its first incarnations would be barely recognisable to pudding lovers today. Like mince pies, this pudding was packed with chopped meat (usually beef or mutton), onions, root vegetables and was flavoured with herbs as well as the more traditional spices. It was served at the beginning of a meal and wasn't reserved just for Christmas. Slowly, new types of dried fruit began into trickle into England, and dried plums, or prunes, became a central ingredient, changing the name from its original pottage to plum pudding.

Throughout the 16^th century various changes were made to the recipe, with white meat taking the place of the red meat, and then with suet taking the place of meat altogether. The root vegetables began to disappear although occasionally a carrot would be included in the mix. This rich dish was now reserved for special occasions, particularly Christmas, but it remained a filling first course rather than a dessert.

By the 19^th century the recipe we know today had taken hold, with suet, brown sugar, dried fruit, breadcrumbs, eggs, spices and a healthy dose of alcohol being the main ingredients. This fragrant mix is then wrapped securely in a pudding cloth, or placed in a lined basin, and boiled for several hours and then left to mature for up to a year.

Variations

As tastes have evolved and changed, so too has the plum pudding. Today, it is a much lighter and digestible pudding than it originally started out as. While there are few variations of the traditional inclusions of currants, raisins, sultanas and candied peel, there are a few alternatives. Here are some of the most popular:

Grated apple and carrot
Glace ginger
A wide variety of different dried fruit, including everything from dried apricots and cherries to peaches and apple
Fresh orange and lemon rind
Slivered almonds

For a hot weather alternative, you can also add all the traditional flavouring to vanilla ice cream to make a refreshing dessert.

To serve

Traditionally, on the day the pudding is to be eaten it needs to be re-boiled for at least two hours, before being plated up and decorated with a single sprig of holly. It is then served with lashings of brandy butter, custard or cream.

Alternatively, for a truly spectacular entrance, the pudding is doused in a glass of brandy and set alight before being placed in the middle of the table. Just make sure little fingers are kept well away from this fantastic flaming dessert.