Stir Up Sunday brings families coming together to cook and get in the mood for Christmas. Every member of the family is supposed to take part in the stirring and to make a wish at the same time.
Traditionally puddings were made on or immediately after the Sunday “next before Advent”, i.e. four to five weeks before Christmas and charms were included with the pudding such as a silver coin for wealth, an anchor for safe harbour, a wishbone for luck and a thimble for thrift.
This recipe has been adapted by the Women’s Institute, which has over 210,000 members. The recipe has been tried and tested by some of the most senior WI members including Anne Harrison, WI Vice Chair, former judge on Celebrity Master Chef and home cooking expert.
Anne Harrison, NFWI Vice Chair, says, “Food has long been a part of the WI’s history; the WI was founded in 1915, with one of the aims being to encourage women to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. Making a Christmas Pudding does take time and careful planning – there are a variety of methods and techniques which all help to create the perfect pudding.â€
Christmas Pudding History
Originally a method to help preserve meat, it was in the 15th century that the chief ancestor of the pudding, Plum Pottage, a sloppy mix of meat, vegetables and fruit, was served at the start of a meal. In the 18th century the savoury element diminished and the sweet content, such as fruits, sugar and spices, increased. The Pottage was increasingly referred to as Plum Pudding and in 1830 became more associated with Christmas.
Download the WI Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe here and Method for cooking here.