What is Christmas pudding?
Christmas pudding is a rich, dark English dessert made with dried fruit, suet, breadcrumbs, spices, sugar and alcohol, traditionally served at the end of Christmas dinner, often set alight with brandy.
The pudding developed from medieval porridges and pottage containing meat and fruit. By the Victorian era, it had become the familiar fruit pudding served at Christmas.
Christmas puddings are steamed for hours and can be made weeks or months in advance, allowing the flavors to develop.
Traditions
Stir-up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, is the traditional day for making Christmas puddings. Family members take turns stirring the mixture and making a wish.
A silver coin is sometimes hidden in the pudding, said to bring good luck to the person who finds it.
Before serving, warm brandy is poured over the pudding and lit, creating a blue flame. It is often decorated with a sprig of holly.
Christmas pudding is served with brandy butter, cream or custard. It is also known as plum pudding, even though it does not contain plums.