From Medieval Feasts to Your Thanksgiving Table: The Story of Plum Pudding

A Historic Winter Celebration Dessert That Deserves a Comeback

When the holiday feast wasn't complete until the mother brought out the flaming pudding!

The Surprising History

Long before pumpkin pie became the Thanksgiving standard, there was plum pudding—a rich, spiced dessert that graced American holiday tables as early as 1796. But this festive treat's story begins much earlier, in 15th century England, where it started as "plum pottage," a hearty mixture served at winter feasts and special celebrations.

Here's a fun fact: there are no plums in plum pudding! In the 1600s, "plum" was slang for any dried fruit, especially raisins. The name stuck, even as the recipe evolved from a savory porridge to the sweet, fruit-packed dessert we know today.

By the time the first American cookbook—Amelia Simmons' "American Cookery"—was published in 1796, plum pudding had already found its way to Thanksgiving tables across the young nation.

The Historic Recipe (1747)

Hannah Glasse's Boiled Plum Pudding

From "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy"

Ingredients:

• 1 lb suet, chopped

• 1 lb currants

• 1 lb raisins

• 8 eggs (4 whole + 4 whites)

• ½ nutmeg, grated

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 lb flour

• 1 pint milk

Method: Mix everything together into a thick batter. Boil in a cloth bag for 5 hours. Yes, 5 hours! Our ancestors had patience.

Burning pudding!

The Modern Version

Easy Steamed Plum Pudding

No suet required!

Ingredients:

Dry Mix:

• 2 cups flour

• 3 cups bread crumbs

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 tsp baking soda

Wet Mix:

• 1 cup softened butter

• 4 eggs

• ¾ cup milk

• ⅔ cup brandy (or apple juice)

• 2 tbsp molasses

• Zest of 1 orange

The Fruit (about 4 cups total):

• 1½ cups raisins

• 1 cup currants

• ½ cup dried cranberries or cherries

• ½ cup chopped dates

• 1 grated apple

• 1 grated carrot

Instructions:

1. Soak the fruit: Mix all fruits with brandy and orange zest. Let sit 1+ hours.

2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, then molasses and milk.

4. Combine everything: Fold wet into dry, add fruit mixture. Should be thick and sticky.

5. Prepare your bowl: Generously butter a 6-cup pudding basin or heat-proof bowl. Fill ¾ full. Cover top with buttered parchment, then foil. Tie securely with string.

6. Steam: Place bowl on a trivet in a large pot. Add boiling water halfway up the sides. Cover pot and steam 3-4 hours on gentle simmer. Check water level occasionally.

7. Cool completely before unmolding.

8. To serve: Re-steam 30 minutes. Unmold onto a plate. For drama: warm ¼ cup brandy, pour over pudding, and carefully ignite!

Serve with: Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or brandy butter

Make ahead: This pudding keeps for weeks wrapped in parchment. Some families make it months in advance!

Why Bring This Back?

In our age of instant everything, there's something magical about a dessert that requires patience and ritual. Plum pudding connects us to generations of celebration—from medieval harvest feasts to Victorian Christmas dinners to early American Thanksgivings.

Plus, that flaming entrance at the table? Unforgettable.

Will you try it this Thanksgiving? Share your pudding photos with us!