Will you be taking part in Stir-Up Sunday?
Will you be taking part in Stir-Up Sunday this weekend? It's a tradition that stretches back to Victorian times. Entire families would congregate in the kitchen to mix up a Christmas pudding ahead of the big day. Stir-Up Sunday takes place on the Sunday before Advent. This year it will take place on Sunday 26th November.
Origins of Stir-Up Sunday
Long before the mass production of shop-bought Christmas puddings, the plum pudding (as it was known then) was made in the family home. Tradition dictated that the pudding mixture included 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his 12 disciples. These comprised dried fruits, flour, breadcrumbs, spices, eggs, butter and a generous amount of alcohol. A mixture of this richness needed time to allow the flavours to develop and mature. But how did they know when was the right time to make the pudding? As with so many things in life, religion played a helping hand. It is said this tradition is linked to the collect prayer that was read out in churches on the last Sunday before Advent.
The first line of the prayer reads 'Stir-up, we beseech thee, O Lord.' This became a queue for the congregation that now was the time to get stirring! The whole household would get involved in the stir-up ritual. Each family member would take a turn at stirring the pudding mixture. Again religion made its mark on the tradition. The pudding mixture was stirred from east to west representing the journey made by the three wise men. Each stirrer was encouraged to make a wish for the year ahead.
And in the days before Health & Safety, silver coins would often be added to the mixture. It was said to bring you good luck if you were the lucky one to find it in your pudding on Christmas day. When ready, the pudding would be boiled for several hours, then left to mature. All that was needed on Christmas day was to boil it again for a couple of hours and it would be ready to serve.
Essential kit for Stir-Up Sunday
Mixing bowl. A large, wide bowl for all the ingredients is a necessity. We love the Mason Cash Cane S6 Mixing Bowl which is perfect for the job.
Wooden spoon. You can't have Stir-Up Sunday without something to stir with! The set of three beech spoons from Apollo will keep several members of the family happy at the same time.
Scales. You'll need a good set of scales to weigh all the ingredients that go into a Christmas pudding. The Typhoon Vision Electric Scales ticks all the right boxes.
Pudding basin or steamer. A good pudding basin or steamer is required for boiling the pudding as well as storing it whist it matures. The Paul Hollywood Non-Stick Pudding Steamer and the Sophie Conran Pudding Basin are both good examples.
Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
12oz mixed fruit
2-3 tbsp brandy
2oz plain flour
2oz fresh breadcrumbs
4oz suet (or you can use butter)
4oz brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp mixed spice
2 medium apples (grated)
1 medium carrot (grated)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
Method Firstly soak the dried mixed fruit in the brandy and allow to steep overnight. Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl then give it a good stir (remember to get all the of the family to have a go and make a wish!). When thoroughly mixed, place the mixture into a pudding steamer and make sure the lid is secure. Put the steamer into a large saucepan then half fill it with water.
Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and allow the pudding to steam for around five hours. Keep topping the saucepan up with water so it doesn't boil dry. After 5 hours remove the steamer from the saucepan and allow it to cool down completely.
You can store the pudding in a cool dark place until Christmas. It will then just need a further hour of steaming (using the same method as above) before being ready to enjoy.
