We Pull Out a ‘Plum’

In a reigion that is known for innovations, it might be surprising how firmly rooted the traditional plum udding is. British steamed puddings, familiar from nursery rhymes and the books of Charles Dickens, have been a part of Southern California Christmasses since the 19th century.

A look through past Food pages of the Los Angeles Times reveals several holiday steamed pudding variations. They remind us how popular this cake-like dessert once was and how past Angelenos probably celebrated the season.

In December 1904, a plum pudding recipe appeared in The Times that required raisins, currants and half a pound of beef suet, an English tradition from the 17th and 18th centuries, when steamed puddings consisted of suet, bread crumbs and dried fruits.

Prunes were originally quite common, though even in the 17th century raisins and currants had started to replace them in “plum” pudding. In the 18th century, “plum” actually became another word for raisin.

The 1904 steamed pudding strayed from tradition only in the recipe for the accompanying hard sauce. Generally, brandy, rum or whiskey was used. But this one substituted grape jelly for the alcohol, presumably because of the widespread temperance sentiment in Los Angeles at the time.

By December 1921, the women’s pages of The Times had a recipe for California Fruit Pudding that was “made without suet.” Health-conscious readers, emboldened by a new diet craze, could savor a steamed pudding sans animal fat. Chopped figs were added to the mix, in addition to both seeded and seedless raisins and grated orange and lemon rinds, among other ingredients.

Two days before Christmas, newspaper advertisements offered discounts on fresh California turkeys at 59 cents a pound and on Christmas trees at 25 cents.

Despite the introduction of packaged plum pudding mixes by the mid-1920s, homemakers continued to make the dish from scratch. They knew they could fall back on Libby’s plum pudding or Heinz’s plum pudding, which came in 42-cent and 75-cent cans at local Sam Seelig grocery stores in 1924. Or they could stop by the Piggly Wiggly, where one-pound cans sold for 30 cents in 1928. But those who did the holiday cooking seem to have relished creating their own steamed puddings.

A Steamed Graham Pudding recipe appeared in the Requested Recipes column of The Times in December 1934. The ingredient list included ground cracklings, cornmeal, molasses, raisins and spices. And it was to be served with a caramel or lemon sauce.

One year later, Times food editor Marian Manners featured a recipe for Steamed Carrot Pudding in the women’s pages. It incorporated carrots, potatoes, molasses, raisins and spices and also was to be served with a caramel sauce.

Instructions for steaming the puddings didn’t vary through the decades. Each recipe, from the turn of the century through the 1940s, said to pour the batter into a buttered mold and steam for three hours.

By December 1947, Manners was offering holiday pudding recipes by mail for 5 cents. Another 5-cent offer for holiday dinners included two menu plans, work schedules, recipes and shopping lists. It’s a glimpse of what predated the ubiquitous holiday help lines.

When the 1950s ushered in the age of convenience foods and convenient cooking, steamed pudding was not affected.

For the first time, boxed mixes allowed for hassle-free cake baking. And a transparent plastic wrap appeared on the market, perfect for storing leftovers or as gift paper for presenting home-baked goods to friends.

Yet from-scratch steamed pudding recipes continued to fill The Times’ pages. Offerings in December 1953 included steamed New Zealand plum pudding, lemon meringue pudding and pineapple date pudding.

The pineapple date pudding recipe appeared in the Home Magazine section. “Delectable desserts for the holidays may be either traditional or a modern interpretation, depending upon your preference,” the accompanying article began.

“You might have traditional plum pudding, steamed or baked, modern fruit and nut pudding, commercial ice cream used in so many ways, famous California fruits and coffeecakes.”

Indeed, this delicious recipe is a modern interpretation of the classic holiday steamed pudding. It is tradition and innovation wrapped into one.

Steamed Pineapple Date Pudding

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

PUDDING

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Boiling water

1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple, juice reserved

1 cup pitted and chopped dates

2 tablespoons shortening

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

* Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves.

* Add enough boiling water to pineapple juice to equal 1 cup. Combine liquid with dates and shortening.

* Beat egg well. Add pineapple and sugar, mixing until well-blended. Add date mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix until flour is moistened.

* Pour into greased 1 1/2-quart decorative mold. Cover with double thickness of wax paper.

* Set steamer rack in large pot containing 1 quart water. Bring to boil and place pudding on rack. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Steam 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool a few minutes before removing from mold. Serve warm with Hard Sauce.

HARD SAUCE

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Cream butter. Add sugar and milk gradually, then vanilla extract, mixing well. More milk may be needed to make mixture soft enough to beat well. Chill until ready to serve.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 426 calories; 482 mg sodium; 36 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 92 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 2.37 grams fiber.