Authentic Christmas Pudding Recipe England, Europe

Traditionally prepared on Stir-up Sunday, the last Sunday before the start of the Advent season, Christmas pudding is a must serve on Christmas Day in most British households. The recipe is relatively straightforward; flour, breadcrumbs, suet, dried fruits, candied peels, sugar, spices, salt, and alcohol (mostly brandy, but rum and beer are also used) are mixed into a mass. The mass is then pressed into a mold — in the past, the mass was wrapped in a cloth resulting in a cannonball shape — and steamed for several hours. The steamed pudding needs to be stored in a dark and cold place, wrapped in a cloth, to mature until Christmas Day, but can be served immediately. Customarily, the pudding is lit on fire right before it's brought to the table. For a more dramatic effect, the room where the Christmas dinner is served is kept completely dark, so the flaming pudding is distinctly visible as it's being brought in. It is often garnished with a branch of holly. As far as serving ... Read more