This is the year that you’ve decided to impress your family and friends and make your own Christmas pudding. So, one of the first things you need to do is to decide when the best time would be to make it. Fortunately this is something that is easily resolved because there is actually a day dedicated to making Christmas puddings. It is aptly titled ‘Stir Up Sunday’ and it is always the Sunday before advent. For regular church goers the following collect from the Book of Common Prayer, which is said on that Sunday, is the reminder to go home and make their Christmas pudding:
‘Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they,
plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may be of thee plenteously rewarded.’
Not only does making the pudding on this day give it plenty of time to mature before Christmas but because of the religious significance it was also thought to be auspicious bringing good luck to all those who ate the pudding.
Now you know when to make the pudding but what are you going to put in it? It’s hard to imagine now, but the original Christmas puddings were actually more like porridge made from meat broth, fruit juice, wine, prunes, mace and breadcrumbs. It wasn’t until the late 17th century that it began to resemble the pudding that we know today. The following poem by Eleanor Farjeon describes her preferred recipe, which despite the now superfluous preparation techniques is a good description of most of the basic ingredients, although the addition of dark brown sugar, grated carrots and Irish stout would make it even better!
‘Stem the currants
Stone the raisins
Chop the peel as fine as fine
Beat the eggs and shred the suet
Grate the crumbs (no flour in mine)
Freely shake, to make it nice,
All the virtues of the spice.
Pour the brandy liberally.
Stir and wish, then, three times three.’
The last instruction is essential! Making a wish whilst stirring the pudding is a tradition that adds to the magic of Christmas and remember don’t tell anybody what you wished for otherwise it won’t come true! Adding silver sixpences to the pudding was another custom that was thought to bring luck to those who found them.
Then all you have to do is to decide whether you want a round pudding or a basin shaped one and then steam it until it is cooked. The only difficult part here is remembering not to let the steamer pan boil dry! Then once it is cooked and cooled it can be wrapped up and stored in a cool place until Christmas Day when it will just need to be reheated before serving. A sprig of holly to embellish the top, some warmed brandy or vodka to drizzle over and ignite to create the customary blue flickering glow around the pudding, a creamy sauce as an accompaniment and you will have the perfect finale to your Christmas meal.
© Suzie Banks 2009
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