What is the pud in “ A Christmas Carol ” ? It ’s a high zest classic British dessert and studded with dried fruit .
As you begin coming up with ideas for the holiday dessert menu , you may be wondering , “ What is the pud inA Christmas Carol ? " Figgy pud , one of the most iconicChristmas desserts , is well - bonk in popular culture , and even referenced in the authoritative carol , “ We bid You a Merry Christmas . ”
But what exactlyisfiggy pudding ?
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Sometimes have-to doe with to as plum tree pudding or Christmas pudding — we’ll get to that afterwards — figgy pudding is a character of British pud , which is a steamed , cake - like sweet as opposed to the spoonable , thickheaded custard that might come to mind when Americans listen the word “ pud . ” Richly spice and chock full ofdried fruits — sometimes figs , but often raisin or currants — it ’s take root in British culinary tradition date back centuries and is traditionally attend on Christmas Day .
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“ Most households let in a figgy pud or Christmas pudding in their Christmas dinner , ” says Julia Heron , sales director forCole ’s Puddingsin Essex , England . “ It is the classic Christmas dessert . It is also traditional to place some holly on top of the pudding and then countersink the pudding alight with brandy before serving . ”
Here , learn about the chronicle of figgy pudding , how it ’s made and how it differs from plum pudding and Christmas pudding .
The History of Figgy Pudding
Figgy pud is said to date back to late medieval time , though it looked a little unlike in its initial strain .
An Evolution
Ben Mervis , a solid food historian , writer and author ofThe British Cookbook , says figgy pud can trace its ascendent to a savoury dish called plum tree pottage , which contained meat . “ In its original significance , ‘ plum ’ referred to a dried plum tree — a prune — but over sentence , it became synonymous with all dried fruit , ” he says .
“ Then plum tree pottage , much like our beloved mince pies , take human body over the 17thand 18thcenturies , as the recipe ’s heart and soul was bit by bit left out in party favor of suet . It was the invention of the pudding fabric and , later , pudding basin that allowed it to be boil or steam . By this time , and later on into the 19thcentury , it becomes the Christmas pudding that we sleep with of today . ”
A Long-Time Holiday Standard
Now a popular Christmas custom , the dish is absorb in religious symbolization . It was historically made with 13 ingredients ( say to represent Christ and the 12 Apostle ) , garnished with holly ( to constitute the crown of thorn ) , and ceremonially lit on fire ( to comprise the passion of Christ ) .
“ The pudding ’s association with Christmas became in particular strong during the Victorian era in the 19th 100 when it became a cardinal part of the vacation feast , ” Heron say . “ It was love for its rich , dense , and flavorful timbre and was often made well in cash advance — sometimes weeks or even months before Christmas . ”
What Is Figgy Pudding Made From?
Much like a “ full breakfast , ” Mervis says the ingredients used in figgy pudding can often be a source of contention , but the knockout is typically made with dried fruit ( traditionally raisins , sultanas , currants , and Ficus carica ) , brown sugar or treacle , mixed spices , breadcrumb , suet , eggs , and alcohol ( often brandy , sherry or rum ) . That say , figgy pudding does n’t always hold figs . “ The ‘ figgy ’ tone relates not to the actual fruit itself but the fact that the pud is flecked with dry out fruit , ” Mervis says .
Suet , the crumbly , hard concentrated fat from kick , lamb , or mutton , is traditional to the dish , but is now often substituted with veg shortening or butter . The figgy pudding from Cole ’s , for case , is made with vegetable suet in improver todiced fig , currants , dark rum , and spices , including terra firma ginger and cinnamon bark .
“ today , masses will use flour to create a lighter ‘ cake , ’ and some , especially vegetarians , may opt for butter over suet , ” Mervis sound out . “ Suet being the last reminder we have that Christmas pud was primitively made with heart , and was cooked in a jackpot likeporridge . ”
How to Make Figgy Pudding
Figgy pud was historically gear up in a passel with a pudding cloth , but today , it ’s typically steamed or boiled for many hours — anywhere from 2 up to 8 — in a water bath . Heron says this cognitive operation helps blend the flavors and leave the pudding to get a slow , moist grain .
intoxicate dry yield overnight in brandy or juice for added moisture and a rich , sweet flavor in the pudding .
In the United Kingdom , figgy pudding has traditionally been made 5 weeks before Christmas and is soaked in alcohol such as brandy or rum as a preservative . “ Many multitude make their puddings far in advance and ‘ feed ’ it with an intoxicant once in a while to make it quite hard and boozy , but that ’s sure enough not a necessity , ” Mervis tell .
How to Serve Figgy Pudding
Figgy pud is usually served red-hot , often with a dollop of brandy butter , cream , or custard . Traditionally , the dish is flambéed after being doused in brandy and set on fire . “ It ’s traditional for a figgy pud to be set alight with brandy before service with brandy butter or brandy sauce , pick , custard , orice cream , ” Heron says .
What’s the Difference Between Figgy Pudding, Plum Pudding, and Christmas Pudding?
Although figgy pudding , plum pudding and Christmas pud are often used interchangeably , there are a few elusive divergence in terms of their factor and diachronic variation . Heron break them down here .
Plum Pudding
“ The term ‘ plum pudding ’ in the beginning referred to a type of English roil or steam pud that incorporate raisins , nuts , and spices , ” Heron say . extra ingredients could include suet , breadcrumb , egg , and sometimes alcohol . The Holy Writ “ plum tree ” was a generic term used to touch on to raisin and other dried fruits . It did n’t inevitably mean plums were in the recipe .
" Over prison term , the term ‘ plum tree pud ’ evolved into what is now ordinarily bang as Christmas pud . It was a traditional English dessert served during the Christmas holiday season . ”
Christmas Pudding
“ This is a rich , spiced pud that became particularly associated with Christmas in Britain , ” Heron says . “ The name ‘ Christmas pudding ’ come about as it was a customary sweet served during the Christmas season . It ’s standardized to plum pudding in its ingredients but typically included a wider compass of dried fruits , suet , spices , and alcohol for flavor . ”
Figgy Pudding
“ Figgy pud is a specific type of Christmas or plum tree pudding that contains fig as a primary ingredient along with other dry out fruits , ” Heron says . “ However , the name ‘ figgy pudding ’ does n’t always mean it exclusively contains figs . It could hold back a variety of dried fruits in addition to or alongside figs . The terminal figure ‘ figgy ’ in this context is more about the inclusion of figs in the mix , giving it a distinct flavor and texture . ”
Interested in make pudding casserole ? Get the BHG Test Kitchen’sclassic corn puddingorchocolate bread pudding .
