Plain Plum Pudding is a traditional British recipe, based on Alexis Soyer's recipe of 1854, for a classic rich steamed suet pudding containing breadcrumbs, sugar and mixed fruit was a more frugal version of Christmas plum pudding and intended for everyday use. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Plain Plum Pudding.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Alexis Soyer's 1854 volume A Shilling Cookery for the People, the first Victorian cookbook for the common man.
Original Recipe
334. Plum Pudding.—Pick and stone half a pound of Malaga raisins, wash and dry the same quantity of currants, chop, not too fine, three-quarters of a pound of beef suet, put it in a convenient basin, with six ounces of sugar, two ounces of mixed candied peel sliced, three ounces of flour, three ditto of bread-crumbs, a little grated nutmeg, four eggs, a gill of water, or perhaps a little more, to form a nice consistence; butter a mould, put a piece of white paper over the top and round the sides, tie it in a cloth, boil for four hours in plenty of water; when done, remove the cloth, turn it out of the mould, take the paper off the sides and top, and serve with sweet sauce round; it may also be boiled in a cloth.
The above is only for Christmas. Now for every day.
Put into a basin one pound of flour, one of chopped suet, half a pound of mixed fruit, a little spice, grated lemon-peel, three ounces of sugar, two eggs, half a pint of milk, or enough to make it a proper thickness, tie it in a cloth, boil four hours, turn it out, and serve with melted butter, or sweet sauce; breadcrumbs instead of flour is good, or half of each.
Modern Redaction
This is a more frugal version of Christmas plum pudding intended for everyday serving rather than for special occasions.
In a large bowl, flour, suet, mixed fruit, sugar and lemon zest. Season the mixture with mixed spice then crack in the eggs and mix well to combine. Finally add the milk and mix once more.
Turn the resultant mixture either into a pudding basin or into a pudding cloth (this should be scalded in boiling water, wrung out, doubled over and floured before adding the pudding mixture) then close the cloth over the pudding and tie securely with string.
Alternatively turn the pudding mixture into a pudding basin, cover with a lid or a pice of greaseproof (waxed) paper. Tie this securely in place then cover with a double layer of kitchen foil. place in a steamer (or set on a trivet or upturned saucer in a saucepan and fill 3/4 of the way up the side of the basin).
Boil or steam for 4 hours, topping-up the water with more boiling water as needed, then remove from the steamer and allow to cool slightly then remove the coverings, invert onto a serving dish and bring to the table.
If cooking in a cloth, bring a large pan of water to a boil, immerse the pudding in the water, then tie it to the handle of the pan, to ensure that the pudding is not touching the base of the pan. Boil for 4 hours, then remove from the pan, unwrap, turn onto a dish and serve.
