Christmas pudding is sweet, dried-fruit pudding traditionally served as part of Christmas dinner in Britain and other countries to which the tradition has been exported. It has its origins in medieval England, with early recipes making use of dried fruit, suet, breadcrumbs, flour, eggs and spice, along with liquid such as milk or fortified wine. Later, recipes became more elaborate. In 1845, cookery writer Eliza Acton wrote the first recipe for a dish actually called "Christmas pudding".
A Christmas pudding decorated with skimmia rather than holly
A traditional bag-boiled Christmas pudding still showing the "skin"
Christmas pudding
Christmas puddings are often dried out on hooks for weeks prior to serving in order to enhance the flavour. This pudding has been prepared with a traditional cloth rather than a basin.
Pudding is a type of food. It can be either a dessert, served after the main meal, or a savoury dish, served as part of the main meal.
Blancmange from France
Haggis, a savoury pudding
Pudding of the dessert type may be served with toppings such as fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Kheer, from India, here made with rice