Scrumptious Figgy Pudding Recipes and Ideas | Homesteading (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between Christmas pudding and figgy pudding? ›

“Figgy pudding is a specific type of Christmas or plum pudding that contains figs as a primary ingredient along with other dried fruits,” Heron says. “However, the name 'figgy pudding' doesn't always mean it exclusively contains figs. It could contain a variety of dried fruits in addition to or alongside figs.

The carol is thought to date from the 16th or 17th century, when carolers demanded refreshments like figgy pudding to keep them going throughout the chilly English nights. These days, carolers aren't as insistent on their figgy pudding, and neither, it seems, are families—at least not for the homemade variety.

Figgy pudding is fruity and very dense, and typically strongly flavored with brandy or rum. Its closest relative would probably be fruitcake, although figgy pudding is typically spicier and crumblier.

History of Figgy Pudding

Rather than creamy puddings and custards, which Southern cooks are familiar with, this Christmas pudding dates back to medieval England and is a steamed cake full of spices, raisins, and currants soaked in brandy.

" 'Figgy' — certainly at some time figs would have been incorporated into Christmas pudding recipes, but today, not traditionally." It's also a pudding in the British sense, meaning dessert — not the creamy, custardy dish most Americans associate with the word. It's a steamed cake full of raisins, currants and brandy.

Often associated with the original traditions of Christmas, it is most notably referred to in the Christmas carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in the lines "Now bring us some figgy pudding," "We all love our figgy pudding," and "We won't go until we get some!" Figgy pudding is not plum pudding, although it can be ...

SPAM^® Figgy Pudding brings a blend of warm spices and seasonal ingredients that will be the star in many wintertime recipe favorites. With notes of cinnamon and nutmeg combined with fig and orange flavors, you'll taste true holiday comfort that will have you caroling all season long.

That's likely why the dish also goes by a number of other names including plum porridge, Christmas pudding, and steamed pudding. And whatever the name, people still eat it today. In Britain, in particular, figgy pudding is still a Christmas staple.

The taste may be a little strange to some, but to me it smells and tastes like Christmas. The figgy pudding should always be served warm. If you can't serve it fresh out of the oven, it will taste just fine to warm it in the microwave for a few seconds."

Like the Christmas pudding and figgy puddings before it, the sticky toffee pudding is usually steamed for maximum moisture. Instead of figs, however, very finely chopped dates are added to the cake, which gets covered in a toffee sauce.

What is figgy pudding in The Christmas Carol? ›

Sometimes referred to as plum pudding or Christmas pudding – we'll get to that later – figgy pudding is a type of British pudding, which is a steamed, cake-like dessert as opposed to the spoonable, thick custard that might come to mind when Americans hear the word “pudding.” Richly spiced and studded with dried fruits ...

Traditional figgy pudding is a holiday dish made with flour, suet (a type of hard animal fat), figs, and other dried fruits. Some more modern versions, like this one, are made without suet. Here's what you'll need for this top-rated figgy pudding recipe: Buttermilk.

It is key that every member of the family gives the pudding mixture a stir and makes a wish at the same time. Traditionally, a silver sixpence was stirred in to bring whoever found the coin on Christmas Day wealth and good luck in the year to come.

Christmas Pudding (also known as plum pudding or figgy pudding) is a dish as famous as it is misunderstood.

Why Is It Called Figgy Pudding? The 'pudding' part of the name makes it a dessert in Britain, but not the custardy type of dish most Americans would associate with the word. At some point the dish included figs, lending itself to the term of 'figgy' as part of a Christmas pudding recipe.

Christmas Pudding (also known as plum pudding or figgy pudding) is a dish as famous as it is misunderstood.

Christmas pudding might seem a bit strange to Americans

Christmas pudding, also referred to as figgy pudding or plum pudding, is another long-time holiday tradition in the UK.

Christmas Pudding originated in medieval England. As the recipe evolved through time, the name evolved along with it. Known initially as Pottage, it has also been called Plum Pudding, Figgy Pudding, and Frumenty.