This Steamed Persimmon Christmas Pudding, of almond meal, warm spices and eggs, soaked in Brandy and lit on fire, is a vintage British tradition.
Traditions We Embrace From Afar
This Steamed Persimmon Christmas Pudding, of almond meal, warm spices and eggs, soaked in brandy and lit on fire, is a vintage British tradition. But for me, it’s more than a recipe, it’s a way of celebrating my British husbands memories from childhood, while America is now his home.
Every year, as the days grow shorter and the kitchen fills with the scent of nutmeg and citrus, I’m reminded of the stories he would tell about Christmas traditions growing up in England.
“The first time I watched this pudding being made by my grandmother in a tiny London flat, the windows fogged from the steam, the kettle rattling on the stove, and someone always insisting that the stirring be done clockwise for good luck“.
Christmas Pudding Is All About Anticipation
My husband went on with his memories about the pudding, “what I didn’t know then is that Christmas pudding isn’t really about the ingredients at all, it’s about the anticipation. The way the persimmons soften into jammy sweetness, the way the spices bloom as the pudding slowly, stubbornly steams for hours, and the way everyone gathers near the table when the lights dim.
That final moment, brandy warming in a ladle before being poured over the glossy dome, feels like a small kind of magic. A hush falls, someone strikes a match, and the pudding ignites in a flicker of blue flames that dance just long enough for gasps and laughter”.
It’s old-fashioned, yes, and sometimes I wonder if his memories are rather from a Dickens book he read, but nonetheless, having now made this humble pudding, I realize it is a dessert that asks you to slow down, to honor the season, to let the kitchen be filled with stories while the pudding does its slow, transformative work. And every bite tastes like memory: fruity, spiced, a little boozy, and entirely joyful.
Christmas Pudding
Charles Dickens story of A Christmas Carol, was the first and only time I had encountered The Christmas Pudding until recent years when hubby inspired me to recreate The Christmas Pudding we both hoped would rekindle nostalgic memories from his childhood.
Traditions are like that, particularly at holiday time, when we reach deep into our memories to bring to life the flavors, smells, and tastes we remember as a child. And so, I wanted to see if I might possibly do this for my husband.
Steamed Pudding Persimmon Recipe
Persimmon fruit, nuts and spices all simmering in a bath tucked away deep inside the oven, filling the house with aromas that bring a sparkle to the eye, and a lick to the lips is the best way I know to fill the home with love, starting from the kitchen.
Persimmon is the fruit I used in this steamed pudding, though a plum pudding or apples can be used to make this.
The hub lived thirty-years of his life in Hong Kong while serving the queen doing James Bond type work. Shhhhh! Persimmons are the national fruit of Japan, which are also easily found throughout many parts of Asia, a fruit my husband grew to love while living there.
This beautiful red-orange skin fruit, was also the inspiration of a Japanese Persimmon Muffin I created to enjoy during persimmon season.
What Is A Steamed Pudding
Here in the United States, we don’t often find popularity in steamed puddings. A steamed pudding is really just a slow and low technique of cooking a dense, moist cake-like dessert, a technique that actually originated in England.
The batter is placed in baking dishes, which are then set in a pan half filled with water, much the same as when making a Creme Brulee.
The steaming water bath keeps the pudding very moist, while baking low and slow in the oven.
British Christmas Dessert
While a traditional British pudding can be just as much sweet as savory puddings, I have only had the sweet version served at Christmas time.
I’m sure Dickens and our passion for the storytelling in A Christmas Carol, is what introduced Christmas pudding to us Americans.
The technique used by Mrs. Cratchit, in the story, was a little different from our more elaborate kitchen facilities; something I came to experience while publishing 19th Century Memoirs of Adelaide Hall.
Beautiful earthenware baking dishes that will be set in a water bath in the oven, is what we might use today, though they had no oven bake then, only a huge fire in the kitchen to cook with.
Mrs. Cratchit, who was with little means (as the story goes), probably used a small copper wash pan (for lack of varied cooking utensils), to steam the pudding in while setting it in an iron pot of water and hung it over the fire for hours to steam.
Making A Proper British Persimmon Christmas Pudding
Fruits, either dried or fresh, or both together, are the first ingredient that gets decided on, when making our Christmas pudding; a combination often found in Winter Fruit Pies.
Since persimmons or apples are the dominant fruits we have access to in December (where I live), either makes for a delicious steamed pudding.
Figs, hence the name ‘Figgy Pudding,’ or any other dried fruit can be used alone or with a fresh fruit.
Too bad fig season is over by December, otherwise I would have made this pudding with fresh figs from my yard, as you will see I have numerous fig recipes.
The batter is mostly eggs, milk or cream, a variety of warm spices, chopped nuts and the fruit. The smell that fills the house while this pudding is steaming is absolutely Christmas!
This recipe that I have created is fast and easy to assemble. Cooking time is the only timely aspect, but then who doesn’t long for something warm in the oven on a cold winter day!
Ingredients Needed
Each ingredient in this Christmas pudding plays its part in creating that unmistakable old-world charm.
- Persimmon or Apples work beautifully too, both fruits lend a natural sweetness and a tender texture that softens into a custard-like richness as the pudding steams.
- A splash of milk stirred with a little lemon juice creates a quick buttermilk that keeps the crumb moist, while a touch of baking soda helps the fruit purée lighten the dense batter.
- Eggs give the pudding its structure and that almost soufflé-like lift, and brown sugar deepens the flavor with caramel notes that play so well with the warm spices.
- A pour of whipping cream adds luxury, because Christmas pudding should always feel just a bit indulgent.
- For the dry base, I blend almond meal with flour, creating a texture that’s somehow both tender and hearty. A little baking powder keeps the pudding from becoming heavy, and a pinch of salt sharpens every sweet and spicy note.
- The spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace, are the heart of the pudding, filling the kitchen with that unmistakable holiday perfume. They wrap themselves around the fruit like a winter scarf, warm and comforting.
- Butter enriches the batter, powdered sugar gives the finished pudding its snow-dusted top, and finally, a generous pour of brandy or rum is what transforms this dessert from ordinary to ceremonial.
Whether you soak it in the spirit or simply drizzle before lighting it, that moment of blue flame is the sparkle that makes this pudding unforgettable.
Equipment Needed
To bring this pudding to life, the equipment is as humble and traditional as the recipe itself.
- Mixing bowls, the kind that invite you to linger as you whisk together fruit, spices, and cream.
- A cutting board and chopping knife come into play if you’re using apples, letting you dice them into small, tender pieces that melt seamlessly into the batter.
- Steamed pudding oven proof bowl is the star of the setup, a classic vessel that gives the pudding its sturdy dome shape. Nestled inside a roasting pan, it transforms the oven into a gentle steamer, allowing the pudding to cook low and slow under a tent of warm vapor.
- Precise holiday magic calls for measuring cups and measuring spoons, because every spoonful of spice and splash of brandy adds to the final moment of drama.
- And of course, you’ll want matches on hand for the grand finale, when the warm brandy is poured, the lights dim, and the pudding is set aflame in a flicker of blue fire.
- And then, my favorite bit of old superstition, a single coin. Slip it into the batter before steaming, just as the British have done for generations, and whoever finds it in their slice is said to receive a year of good luck. It’s a tiny tradition, but one that turns a simple dessert into a story worth retelling every Christmas.
Steamed Persimmon Christmas Pudding
Equipment
- 4 Individual baking dishes
- Baking pan for the bath
Ingredients
- 4 Ripe Persimmons persimmon pulp only
- 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 3 Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Whipping Cream
- 1/4 cup Almond meal crushed almonds
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Mace
- Glazing syrup
- 1/4 cup Brandy
- 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325. Prepare the individual baking dishes (or one large baking dish or bundt pan), by brushing a little melted butter inside the baking dish the pudding batter will be steamed in, cooking spray can also be used. Set the dishes in a deep pan and pour hot water halfway up the sides.
- Persimmon Puree – peel the outer skins from the persimmons. Rough chop and puree the persimmon in a food processor. Set the persimmon mixture aside.
- In a medium bowl, or 2-cup measuring cup, add the tablespoon lemon juice and baking soda to the milk. Stir and allow to sit to foam and thicken while you begin to mix the other ingredients.
- In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, almonds and cream. With a hand held electric mixer on medium speed, whisk this mixture.
- Add the remaining melted butter and cream butter into the egg batter. Whisk in the persimmon purée.Fold in the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and spices, and mix well. Slowly pour the prepared milk, lemon soda mixture into the batter and mix well.
- Place one coin on the bottom of the mold of only one serving, then pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, cover pot with aluminum foil, making sure there is sufficient water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. A holiday tradition in England is to hide a coin (scrubbed), for good luck. Baking the dish inside of a covered pot/pan of water creates a steam bath and is the way this traditional dish, during the holiday season has always been done by the British. Bake for about an hour, or until the pudding looks firm and no longer jiggles.
- Glazing syrupMix the brandy and sugar together. Place a serving platter or individual dish, on top of the mold and flip it over to invert the warm pudding onto the plate. Drizzle the syrup on top of the pudding, place a sprig of holly on top and immediately light with a match. The blaze will die down and the pudding is ready to indulge all of your Christmas memories!
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Notes
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.