The History of the Christmas Pudding | Lifesure Group (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of the traditional Christmas pudding? ›

The pudding we know today began life as a pottage. This was a kind of broth, including raisins and other dried fruit, spices and wine. It was thickened with breadcrumbs or ground almonds. Not dissimilar to the mince pies of yesteryear, it often included meat or at least meat stock.

It's said that Christmas pudding needs to be prepared with 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his twelve disciples. Every family member stirs it in turn from east to west to honour their journey. Historically, Christmas pudding wasn't even considered to be a dessert.

It was common practice to include small silver coins in the pudding mixture, which could be kept by the person whose serving included them. The usual choice was a silver threepence or a sixpence.

The Christmas Silver Sixpence

A silver sixpence was placed into the pudding mix and every member of the household gave the mix a stir. Whoever found the sixpence in their own piece of the pudding on Christmas Day would see it as a sign that they would enjoy wealth and good luck in the year to come.

Superstitions say that Christmas pudding must be prepared with 13 ingredients, which are said to represent Jesus and his twelve disciples. It is also said that the mixture should be stirred in turn from east to west, by each family member, to honour the disciples' journey.

It was believed it would bring good luck. In 1644 the Puritans tried to ban the pudding as they said it was 'sinfully rich' and 'unfit for God-fearing people'! In 1714 King George reestablished the pudding and it was enjoyed as a dessert for Christmas.

It is key that every member of the family gives the pudding mixture a stir and makes a wish at the same time. Traditionally, a silver sixpence was stirred in to bring whoever found the coin on Christmas Day wealth and good luck in the year to come.

Christmas Pudding originated in medieval England. As the recipe evolved through time, the name evolved along with it. Known initially as Pottage, it has also been called Plum Pudding, Figgy Pudding, and Frumenty.

Christmas (or Plum) Pudding is the traditional end to the British Christmas dinner. But what we think of as Christmas Pudding, is not what it was originally like! Christmas pudding originated as a 14th century porridge called 'frumenty' that was made of beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines and spices.

It is believed that a Christmas pudding must contain thirteen ingredients. These ingredients each represent Jesus and each of his twelve disciples. Traditionally, brandy is poured over the Christmas pudding and set aflame before serving. The flames are believed to represent Christ's passion.

Can you eat Christmas pudding out date? ›

If the pudding has been stored in a cool, dry place and has been tightly sealed or wrapped then it may well still be fine, but you will need to use your own judgement to decide whether it is fit to eat. We suggest opening up the pudding and inspecting it.

Final answer: Finding a button in the plum pudding was a Victorian-era tradition signifying that the unmarried man who found it would remain unmarried for the following year.

Modern Christmas puddings

Pre-made Christmas puddings can be purchased (which you can still press Christmas coins into), such as this Maggie Beer Christmas Pudding or one from The Pudding Lady.

Packed with Ajwa dates and rare Mamra almonds from Iran

The Most Precious Christmas Pudding, as it is called, will cost a staggering £23,500. It will be created by former Savoy Hotel pastry chef Martin Chiffers using a bottle of Duret 1810 Cognac, which costs £10,890.

If you're old enough you will remember Christmas puddings containing coins that were said to bring the finder good luck. Before coins, charms were put inside Christmas puddings including a silver coin for wealth, a wishbone for luck, a thimble for thrift, a ring for marriage and an anchor for safe harbour.

By the mid-1600s, plum pudding was sufficiently associated with Christmas that when Oliver Cromwell came to power in 1647 he had it banned, along with Yule logs, carol-singing and nativity scenes. To Cromwell and his Puritan associates, such merry-making smacked of Druidic paganism and Roman Catholic idolatry.

First off, the English term “pudding” can refer to just about any “dessert”, though “Christmas pudding” is a specific type of dessert, that an American is more likely to call an extreme variant of a “soaked cake” or “brandy cake”.

Sometimes referred to as plum pudding or Christmas pudding – we'll get to that later – figgy pudding is a type of British pudding, which is a steamed, cake-like dessert as opposed to the spoonable, thick custard that might come to mind when Americans hear the word “pudding.” Richly spiced and studded with dried fruits ...