English Plum Puddings

This is the proper British Christmas plum pudding, the one Dickens wrote about and generations of English households flame at the holiday table. Despite the name, there are no plums; the name is Victorian slang for raisins. The pudding is a dense, spice-packed fruit bomb studded with raisins, currants, chopped apples, and walnuts, bound with beef suet and steamed in pudding molds until the whole thing turns dark, glossy, and aromatic.

The steaming (usually done in a pressure cooker or water bath) is what gives the pudding its signature moist, dense texture. Baking would dry this out completely. Traditionally, the pudding is made weeks or months ahead of Christmas and stored, doused periodically with brandy or rum, so the flavors concentrate and mellow over time.

Beef suet is not a substitute ingredient. It is the authentic fat that gives plum pudding its distinctive richness and keeps the crumb moist.

Pro Tips

• Dust the fruit and nuts with flour before adding. This keeps them from sinking during steaming.
• Fill molds only half full. The pudding expands significantly as it steams.
• Tie waxed paper or cheesecloth securely over each mold. Loose covers let water in and make soggy pudding.
• Age for at least 4 weeks if possible. Feed with a tablespoon of brandy every 2 weeks for traditional flavor development.

Variations

• Add ½ cup chopped mixed peel or candied citron for more fruit-cake character.
• Substitute brandy for half the buttermilk for a boozier pudding from the start.
• Serve with hard sauce, custard, or flame with warmed brandy at the table for the full Dickensian experience.