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English Plum Pudding

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This year I made my first English plum pudding, which I also learned is not a pudding and has no plums in it.  Astonishing.

I now understand that the English refer to all desserts as puddings.  However, the same (British) source that told me that had no explanation for Yorkshire pudding, which is most definitely savory.  According to the dictionary, an English pudding can be sweet or savory, but it is cooked using steam.  However, even a cursory investigation into English pudding recipes reveals that many so-called “puddings” are baked, not steamed.  So, I am no closer to an understanding of how to correctly use the term pudding in English nomenclature than I was to begin with.

Nonetheless, I have been reading Dickens lately, and it is impossible to read A Christmas Carol twice and not wanting to taste Mrs. Cratchit’s magnificent pudding (or pudding-not pudding).  And it is impossible to read recipes that involve brandy flambé and not wanting to join in the merriment.  So here we go.

You’re going to need some special equipment to make this because this pudding is indeed steamed.  A 2-quart (or 2-litre) pudding steamer with a lid will do the trick. This is the steamer that I have and it works beautifully.  At the bottom of this post, I will include a link to another steamer that would also work as well as to the bitter orange marmalade that I used, and the lemon zester.  (Sometimes it is hard to find these items in your local stores and ordering through Amazon makes life so much simpler.)

You will also need a small rack upon which to place it in the pot so that the bottom does not scorch.  This is similar to the one that I use.

And you will need to be home for 6 hours while it steams.  Yes, you read that right.  Six hours.  Also, this pudding improves with age, so make it a week or two before you wish to serve it.