Yule Plum Puddings by Kimber Flory

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

I have heard of plum puddings before. Now, I knew it wasn’t like jello pudding. I also knew you caught it on fire before serving, so I assumed it had alcohol in it. But I wasn’t really sure what it was. But here is an interesting article about plum puddings. And at the end I will share one of the recipes I found.

 

The New Year's plum pudding is a staple feature of many a holiday feast, but it's more than just a tasty dessert. It's also considered a symbol of good luck and success in the coming year, so why not turn it into an addition to your magical menu?

 

Interestingly, the plum pudding doesn't contain plums at all. During the seventeenth century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "plum" was a catch-all term for dried fruits such as raisins and prunes, which were used in the puddings. Prior to that, medieval dishes such as plum duff and plum cake were made with actual plums. It's also important to note that in this case, the word "pudding" is very different than what modern American cooks think of when they think of pudding. The plum pudding is more of a fatty cake, traditionally made with suet, saturated with brandy, wrapped in cloth and then steamed or boiled.

 

According to English custom, the plum pudding was usually prepared several weeks in advance of Christmas - usually on the Sunday before Advent, which became known as Stir-up Sunday. It was when you stirred up your pudding mix, and everyone in the household took a turn stirring. As each person stirred the heavy batter, they made a wish for the coming year.

 

In addition, when the pudding was baked, tiny tokens were mixed into the batter, and were said to bring good luck to whoever found the token in their slice - this was assuming, of course, that you didn't chip a tooth while biting into a sixpence coin or choke on a silver thimble. The pudding was served with great pomp and circumstance, applause, and lots of flames if possible, thanks to a liberal dousing with even more brandy before it was brought to the table.

As you stir up your batter, visualize your intent. Direct energy into the pudding, focusing on health, prosperity and good fortune in the coming new year. When it comes to baking anything into your batter, be careful. It's not a bad idea to wrap any tokens in aluminum foil so they'll be easier to find when people bite into their pudding. You can pick up small silver tokens at many craft stores. For symbolism, try some of the following:

 

    For prosperity, a silver coin

    For marriage or a long-term relationship, a ring

    For creativity, a thimble (in the past, it represented spinsterhood)

    For luck, a silver wishbone

 

Safety Tip: Be sure to use only silver tokens - modern coins contain alloys which can be harmful when baked into a food product!

 

And here is one of the recipes I found –

Julia Child shares this classic holiday pudding recipe (which has no plums!), served flaming with a zabaione sauce. It is loaded with raisins and spices. Be sure to read the flambe tips before beginning.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

 

    3 cups (lightly packed down) crumbs from homemade type white bread, a 1/2-pound loaf, crust on, will do it

    1 cup each: black raisins, yellow raisins, and currants, chopped

    1-1/3 cups sugar

    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

    1/2 teaspoon mace

    1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

    8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, melted

    4 large eggs, lightly beaten

    Few drops of almond extract

    1/2 cup bitter orange marmalade

    1/2 cup rum or bourbon whiskey, heated before serving

    Sprigs of holly, optional

    2 cups Zabaione Sauce (recipe included herein)

    .

    Zabaione Sauce:

    1 large egg

    2 egg yolks

    Small pinch of salt

    1/3 cup rum or bourbon whiskey (or Marsala or sherry)

    1/3 cup dry white French vermouth

    1/2 cup sugar

 

Preparation:

Special equipment suggested:

A food processor is useful for making the bread crumbs and chopping the raisins; an 8-cup pudding container, such as a round bottomed metal mixing bowl; a cover for the bowl; a steamer basket or trivet; a roomy soup kettle with tight-fitting cover to hold bowl, cover, and basket.

 

Timing note:

Like a good fruitcake, a plum pudding develops its full flavor when made at least a week ahead. Count on 6 hours for the initial, almost unattended steaming, and 2 hours to reheat before serving.

 

The pudding mixture:

Toss the bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl with the raisins, sugar, cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg. Then toss with the melted butter, and finally with the eggs, almond extract, orange marmalade, and rum or bourbon. Taste carefully for seasoning, adding more spices if needed.

 

To microwave Plum Pudding:

Butter the dish you are cooking the pudding in, then cover the bottom of the dish with a buttered piece of wax paper. Pour in batter. Cover dish with plastic wrap and pierce the plastic with a knife in several places. Cook at "defrost" (low speed) for 30 minutes. If your microwave oven does not have a carousel which turns the dish during cooking, stop the process several times during the cooking and rotate the dish manually. Finally, cook at 5 minutes on "bake" (high speed). Let the pudding set for a few minutes before unmolding. The pudding is ready when it is firm to the touch. The microwaved plum pudding is somewhat paler than its steamed counterpart.

 

To steam a Plum Pudding:

Use a special pan made for this purpose. You must have a container with a very tight lid on it which will stay sealed throughout the cooking. Steaming -- about 6 hours: Pack the pudding mixture into the container; cover with a round of wax paper and the lid. Set the container on the steaming contraption in the kettle, and add enough water to come a third of the way up the sides of the container. Cover the kettle tightly; bring to the simmer, and let steam about 6 hours. Warning: check the kettle now and then to be sure the water hasn't boiled off!

 

When is it done? When it is a dark walnut-brown color and fairly firm to the touch.

 

Curing and storing:

Let the pudding cool in its container. Store it in a cool wine cellar, or in the refrigerator. Ahead -of-time note: Pudding will keep nicely for several months.

 

Re-steaming:

A good 2 hours before you plan to serve, resteam the pudding -- it must be quite warm indeed for successful flaming. Unmold onto a hot serving platter and decorate, if you wish, with sprigs of holly.

 

Flaming and serving:

Pour the hot rum or whiskey around the pudding. Either ignite it in the kitchen and rapidly bring it forth, or flame it at the table. Serve the following Zabaione Sauce separately.

 

Zabaione Sauce:

Whisk all the ingredients together for 1 minute in a stainless saucepan. Then whisk over moderately low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce becomes thick, foamy, and warm to your finger -- do not bring it to the simmer and scramble the eggs, but you must heat it enough for it to thicken. Serve warm or cold.

 

Ahead-of-time note:

The sauce will remain foamy for 20 to 30 minutes, and if it separates simply beat it briefly over heat. If you wish to reform the sauce, whisk in a stiffly beaten egg white. Makes about 2 cups.

 

Yield: 12 servings

 

Recipe Source: The Way to Cook by Julia Child (Alfred A. Knopf)

Reprinted with permission.