Puddings are a quintessential part of traditional cuisine, especially during Christmas. Often rich and indulgent, these desserts provide a comforting end to a hearty meal. The appeal of traditional puddings lies in their simplicity and the history they carry. Whether steamed, baked, or boiled, each pudding has a unique story and flavor profile passed down through generations. Let's explore 20 delightful old-fashioned pudding recipes, including traditional Christmas puddings, to add a touch of nostalgia and sweetness to your holiday celebrations.

1. Classic Christmas Pudding

No list of traditional Christmas puddings would be complete without the classic pudding. This rich, fruity dessert is made with suet, breadcrumbs, and dried fruits soaked in brandy. It is a timeless festive favourite, often served with brandy butter or a drizzle of custard.

2. Steamed Treacle Pudding

Steamed treacle pudding is a golden syrup-infused delight that’s both sweet and satisfying. Made with easy-going ingredients such as eggs, flour, and milk, it is steamed to perfection, resulting in a moist and sticky treat that is perfect for cold winter nights.

3. Bread and Butter Pudding

Bread and butter pudding is a fantastic way to use up stale bread. This pudding is layered with buttered bread slices, raisins, and a custard mixture and baked until golden and crispy on top while remaining soft and creamy inside. It’s a comforting dessert that’s sure to please.

4. Spotted Pudding

Despite its unusual name, spotted dick is a beloved traditional pudding. This pudding is made with flour, sugar, suet, and currants (the ‘spots’). It is usually steamed and served with custard. It’s a simple yet delightful dessert that has stood the test of time.

5. Figgy Pudding

Figgy pudding is a festive favourite that’s often associated with Christmas carols. This pudding is dense and richly flavoured with figs, suet, and spices. It’s traditionally steamed and can be served with various sauces, such as brandy sauce or a simple sweet custard.

6. Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky toffee pudding is a recent addition to the traditional pudding lineup but has quickly become a classic. This pudding is moist, rich, and incredibly indulgent, made with dates and topped with a luscious toffee sauce.

7. Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is a creamy, comforting dessert that’s made with rice, milk, sugar, and a touch of vanilla. It can be served warm or cold and is often topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg. This pudding is simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

8. Tapioca Pudding

Tapioca pudding is another creamy delight made with tapioca pearls, milk, and sugar. The pearls give the pudding a unique, fun and satisfying texture. It’s often flavoured with vanilla or coconut, adding an extra layer of deliciousness.

9. Plum Pudding

Plum pudding, despite its name, doesn’t contain plums. Instead, it’s made with various dried fruits, suet, and breadcrumbs. This pudding is steamed for several hours, resulting in a dense, flavourful dessert perfect for the holiday season.

10. Semolina Pudding

Semolina pudding is a smooth, creamy dessert made with semolina, milk, and sugar. It’s often flavoured with vanilla or lemon zest and can be served with a fruit compote or a drizzle of honey. This simple yet delicious pudding is a comforting end to any meal.

11. Queen of Puddings

Queen of Puddings is a regal dessert consisting of a breadcrumb base, a layer of fruit jam, and a topping of meringue. It’s baked until the meringue is golden and crispy, resulting in a delightful combination of textures and flavours.

12. Jam Roly-Poly

Jam roly-poly is a nostalgic dessert that features a suet pastry rolled up with jam and steamed until tender. It’s often served with custard or cream and is a perfect example of simple, old-fashioned cooking that still delights today.

13. Yorkshire Pudding

While not a dessert, Yorkshire pudding is a beloved British dish that’s often served alongside roast beef. These puddings are baked with a simple batter of eggs, flour, and milk until they are puffy and golden. They’re perfect for soaking up gravy and adding a delicious touch to a Sunday roast.

14. Summer Pudding

Summer pudding is a refreshing dessert that’s perfect for warm weather. It’s made with layers of bread soaked in berry juice and filled with a mixture of fresh berries. After sitting in the fridge, it turns out to be a vibrant, fruity pudding that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

15. Carrot Pudding

Carrot pudding is a spiced dessert made with grated carrots, suet, and various spices. It’s steamed until tender and often served with a sweet sauce or custard. This pudding is a great way to use up surplus carrots and create a warming, flavourful dessert.

16. Eve’s Pudding

Eve’s pudding is a delightful combination of apples and sponge cake. The apples are stewed until soft and then topped with a light sponge batter. Once baked, the result is a deliciously fruity pudding with a light, airy top. It’s often served with custard or cream.

17. Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

Chocolate self-saucing pudding is a magical dessert that creates its sauce as it bakes. Made with a simple chocolate batter, it forms a gooey, chocolatey sauce underneath the cake layer.

18. Lemon Delicious Pudding

Lemon delicious pudding is a zesty dessert that also creates its sauce during baking. The lemon-flavoured batter separates into a light sponge on top and a tangy lemon sauce underneath. It’s a refreshing and satisfying end to any meal.

19. Sussex Pond Pudding

Sussex pond pudding is a traditional steamed suet pudding filled with butter and sugar, and sometimes a whole lemon. As it steams, the filling creates a rich, syrupy sauce that soaks into the pudding. It’s a decadent and unique dessert that’s sure to impress.

20. Indian Pudding

Indian pudding is a classic American dessert with roots in colonial times. It is made with cornmeal, milk, and molasses, and slowly baked until thick and custard-like. The warm spices and rich flavour make it a perfect dessert for cold winter nights.

Conclusion

These old-fashioned pudding recipes bring a touch of nostalgia and a lot of flavour to any meal. From the rich and fruity classic Christmas pudding to the comforting simplicity of rice pudding, there’s a traditional pudding for every occasion. Whether you’re looking to revive a family tradition or try something new, these recipes are sure to delight and satisfy.

1. What classifies as a pudding?

In Australia, a pudding generally refers to a dessert that is typically served warm and can be steamed, boiled, or baked. Puddings often have a moist, dense texture and are made with ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and butter. While traditional puddings like Christmas pudding or steamed treacle pudding are more common, puddings can also include newer variations such as chocolate or rice puddings. The key defining characteristic is that they are usually rich and comforting and have a soft, cake-like consistency.

2. What are the four types of pudding?

There are many types of puddings in Australian cuisine, but the following are four popular categories:

• Steamed Puddings: Often made with suet or flour, these are cooked by steaming, such as the classic Christmas pudding or the sticky date pudding.
• Boiled Puddings: Similar to steamed puddings but cooked in boiling water, like the traditional Australian plum pudding.
• Baked Puddings: These puddings are baked in the oven and include popular varieties like bread and butter pudding and chocolate lava pudding.
• Cold Puddings: These include desserts like rice pudding, mousse, and custard, which are served chilled and are often creamy in texture.

3. What is the most popular dessert?

In Australia, lamingtons are often considered one of the most popular desserts. These sponge cakes dipped in chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut have become an iconic treat. Other popular desserts include pavlova (a meringue-based dessert topped with fresh fruit), Anzac biscuits, and sticky date pudding. For a more traditional option, scones with jam and cream also remain a favorite, especially during afternoon tea.

4. What desserts were popular in the 1970s to Present?

• From the 1970s to the present, Australian desserts have evolved with global influences. Some of the most popular desserts during this period include:
• 1970s: The 1970s saw the rise of pavlova as a national dessert, along with chocolate mousse and trifles. These were commonly served at dinner parties.
• 1980s: The mud cake became a staple dessert, and cheesecake gained popularity, especially with the advent of the no-bake version. Ice cream cakes and sundaes also became popular during this decade.
• 1990s to 2000s: Tiramisu (an Italian dessert) and fruit salads with custard were a hit. Sticky date pudding emerged as a favourite dessert in Australian restaurants during this time.
• Present (2010s to Now): The rise of health-conscious eating has led to the popularity of lighter desserts like acai bowls and raw cakes, alongside indulgent options like Cronuts, artisan donuts, and dessert jars. As dietary preferences shift, more innovative combinations, like savoury puddings and vegan or gluten-free options, have also become common.