The Reason Figgy Pudding Has Such A Misleading Name

Christmas time brings a wave of holiday-inspired treats to get us into the spirit and these desserts also spark a sense of nostalgia for Christmases past. Candy canes, yule log cakes, and all varieties of holiday cookies make our mouths water and our hearts long for Christmas eve. It goes without saying that different parts of the world celebrate the holidays differently and each comes with its own version of holiday goodies. If you've not tasted it, chances are good you've at least heard of figgy pudding. It's contained in the lyrics of one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all time, after all.

Figgy pudding is a holiday tradition for our friends and neighbors in Great Britain, but what is it really? If you're from the United States and you've never bitten into a figgy pudding, your mind may be swirling thinking of how (and why) you would combine pudding with figs. The name itself is actually a bit misleading though.

Figgy pudding, or as it's sometimes called, plum pudding, isn't actually pudding at all, at least not by British standards. In the United States, pudding is a creamy, jello-like dessert but in Britain, pudding just means something that is steamed or boiled and it can be savory or sweet (per Vox). Plum pudding came about because the dessert originated back in pre-Victorian times when plum was the term for any dried fruit, per History. The Yuletide dessert was originally similar to a thick oatmeal made with dried fruits and eventually morphed into a cake with the addition of various grains (per The Daring Gourmet).

Figgy pudding nowadays is a steamed cake with ancient roots that faintly resemble its present form. If you were to sit at a traditional British Christmas feast, among the many delicious bites you would dig into a sweet and savory "cake" made of breadcrumbs, suet (animal fat), with hints of lemon zest, plenty of dried fruits, and a healthy soaking of brandy. Often, the dish is set on fire before serving, for a little dramatic flare. Alas, no figs or plums, though no doubt they have at times been included under the umbrella of dried fruit, they are not traditionally part of the recipe. There you have it, folks. Figgy pudding is not, at least by U.S. standards, pudding nor does it contain figs. Still, the British holiday staple has been around for a long time and many claim that it's utterly delicious. Cheers!