Love them or loathe them, Christmas puddings are here to stay

Even the most ardent foodies are not impressed by this grand finale of the Christmas meal. The Brussels sprout of the dessert table is being sneered at.

They do. They will fight to have it on the table at Christmas this year as they always have.

The Victorian Christmas pudding has a rich tradition and is made with brandy. It is supposed to have 13 ingredients, which represent Jesus and his 12 disciples. These include raisins, currants, and beef suet.

The flavor of the pudding will deepen if you make it four to five weeks prior to Christmas, the Sunday before Advent. It was called “stir-up” Sunday, when all the family members, including the children and staff, would stir the pudding and make a good wish. Some believed that adding small silver coins, such as threepences or sixpences, to the pudding would bring prosperity for the coming year to the person who received them. My family would joke that you might need the wealth to pay your dentist bills after eating so much sugar and chipping a tooth on a silver coin in your pudding.

Not everyone enjoys a sweet, dense pudding with liquor and dried fruits, breadcrumbs, and suet, served with English custard and brandy butter. Not a single sliver. Oh no. Oh no. The diet is not low-carb or ketogenic. It also has very little to offer in terms of weight loss. It’s true that it is rich in fiber and micronutrients and will help you lose weight, but this argument has never worked. This time of year, other desserts are more popular. The pavlova is a summery, antipodean dessert. Or trifle or even more mince pies.

To me, Christmas is not complete without pudding. Sure, not all puds taste good. A ‘pudding woman’ can make a great one. Victor Churchill also makes good ones. You, too, can if you start now.

I like the contrast of the hot pudding with the cold custard or, if you prefer, the warm custard. If it isn’t too sweet, I will take the brandy-butter. It’s a nice companion for the spiced fruits. The smell of Christmas pudding is just as wonderful as the scent of a real tree. It’s just the right thing to do at the right moment. The English can keep their white, soggy Christmas, but I will take the traditional pudding.

I love Christmas Pudding because it brings back memories. It brings back memories of my grandmother, Margaret Fulton, who was a cook and writer. She would hold a beautiful flaming pud, topped with holly, and place it on the table at Christmas. We returned to the table every year like a flickering video. My grandmother, with her tiny size and enormous presence, brought the pudding from the kitchen to the Christmas table every year. She would also say a cheerful “We wish you Merry Christmas” as she did so.

We were all captivated by the magnificent pudding, ablaze with the flames of the whisky. She was Scottish, after all. She made sure that each piece contained a sixpence and brandy sauce, or English custard.

I don’t even want it once in a while. I don’t want it every day. I want it for Christmas. Michael Buble is the only time I can stomach it. Like those dulcet notes, Christmas pudding feels like a one-time-only thing. It’s a festive last hurrah.