Plum pudding is a traditional holiday dessert that goes back hundreds of years. And it doesn’t actually contain plums: just raisins and candied fruit. In the 17^th century, “plum” meant any dried fruit. Traditionally, you make it a year ahead so it can age, but even a couple of weeks will do, so don’t worry about getting a late start. You can start another one after the holidays and you’ll be all set for next year, too!

Plum pudding is a steamed pudding, cooked for many hours in a slow oven. We sped this up by using our Instant Pot counter top pressure cooker, to reduce the time to just 2 hours. The recipe we are using is half the original, which makes a slumgullion of pudding, and even then we did it two batches, one in a Mrs Anderson’s Baking  Steamed  Pudding Mold, and a smaller one-hour amount in a small bowl wrapped in foil.

Fruit Mixture

• ½ lb seedless raisins
• ½ lb golden raisins
• ¼ lb currants
• ½ cup thinly slice citron
• ½ cup chopped candied peel
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp mace
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ lb finely chopped suet (powdery fine)
• 5/8 cup brandy

Pudding

• 5/8 cup fresh bread crumbs, (about 2 cups)
• ½ cup warm milk
• ½ cup sherry or port
• 6 eggs, well beaten
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• Brandy

Hard Sauce

• ½ cup softened butter
• 1 ½ cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 2 Tb brandy or rum

Beat the softened butter in an electric mixer and slowly add the sugar.  Add the vanilla or brandy and served with the plum pudding.

Making the pudding

1. Blend the fruits, citron, spices and suet in a bowl or jar.
2. Add 1/8 cup brandy, cover tightly and refrigerate for 2-4 days, adding more brandy each day.
3. When ready to mix up the pudding, mix the milk and sherry or port together.
4. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk/ wine mixture.
5. Combine the beaten eggs and sugar and blend with the fruit mixture.
6. Add salt and mix thoroughly.
7. Put the pudding in a buttered pudding mold or buttered bowls. With the pudding mold we bought, we get about 2/3 of the batter in it. Cover with foil to seal it and keep out the moisture.
8. 

   
9. Put a cup of water in the Instant Pot, add the trivet, and place the pudding mold on the trivet.
10. Seal the Instant Pot, and steam on Manual for 2 hours.
11. Uncover and place in a 250° F oven for 30 minutes.
12. Add a dash of brandy to the pudding, and store in a cool place.
13. Repeat with the remaining batter in a small bowl covered securely with foil.
14. Allow the pudding to age for a week or two, adding a dash of brandy every day or two.
15. When ready to serve, reheat in the steamer, and unmold.
16. Sprinkle with sugar, add heated brandy and ignite.
17. Serve with hard sauce.