When I was a little girl in Ireland I loved when my mom set our Christmas pudding alight.
Our annual pyrotechnic show was achieved quite simply, using a candle, a metal spoon, a dollop of brandy and one piping hot plum pudding.
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Using Liquor or Spirits to Light a Christmas Pudding
Lighting a plum pudding is accomplished using brandy, whiskey or rum. I like brandy best. For me, the residual cognac flavor on top of the pudding is decadent.
I know I should be using Irish whiskey - I am Irish after all. However, an old family legend claims I might be a 31st cousin of the Hennessy who left Ireland and started the famous cognac brand. The connection is through my County Limerick born granny.
And that's my brandy loving excuse - there's a slight possibility my affinity for cognac may be hereditary, but that's a story for another day.
So let's get back to lighting this pudding with my favorite spirit, brandy.
An Easy Method to Set a Plum Pudding Alight
Choose a large metal spoon. Not your best spoon please.
It will be held over a burning candle to heat the spirits.
The candle may cause the bottom of the spoon to turn black. This carbonation is easily scrubbed away afterwards.
Add enough brandy to fill the spoon three-quarter ways full.
Leave a small gap between the top of the brandy and the rim of the spoon.
Safety Warning
Here is an important piece of advice.
Do not use a plastic spoon. It will melt.
Hold the spoon over a lighted candle flame. Hold it for a few minutes until the brandy heats up. If you wish to speed up this process you can pre-heat the spoon in a cup of hot water, but make sure to dry it completely before adding the brandy.
Once the brandy is hot it will start to steam and convection currents will be visible in the golden liquid.
To set it alight, you simply tip the top of the spoon into the candle flame and the booze will alight, burning with a bluish flame.
Move the flaming spoon over the pudding and pour it on top.
Now the pudding must be piping hot. This will not work with a cold pudding.
Ensure you have removed any decorative toppings from the pudding, before setting it on fire. Melted plastic or singed holly does not add anything to a plum pudding's flavor.
Move the spoon away from the flames.
You can have a cup of water ready to quench the flaming spoon if you wish, but I just blow on it to stop it burning.
Turn out the lights and admire the bright blue flames of your Christmas light show.
The alcohol will burn off the top of the pudding, so once it stops flaming you're ready to serve your traditional Christmas treat.
Remember you choose to light your pudding at your own risk. This technique is probably not endorsed by any fire department anywhere. So take care when working with open flames. Feel free to have a fire extinguisher at the ready, especially for any enormous puddings. 🙂 🙂
Wishing you all happy pudding lighting experiments this Christmas.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some more of my Irish Christmas Recipes:
Christmas
- Sewing Spool Christmas Tree Ornament Craft
- Tissue Paper Christmas Tree Cone Craft
- Cardboard Tube Paper Plate Christmas Wreath
- Stirrings by Máire Malone - An Irish Poem for Christmas
Christmas Recipes
- Easy And Delicious Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe
- Spiced Red Cabbage
- White Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
- Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies
Annie Davis
Thanks, IrishAmericanMom, for the post on how to ignite a Christmas pudding. You make it sound so easy. I recently discovered your website, recipes and blog. I enjoy your words and photos so much. You inspired me to do a Traditional Irish Christmas theme dinner using some of your recipes and some of Tom Kerridge’s (The Cooking Channel - Proper Pub Food). I was wavering between his orange cake and a traditional pudding but your blog pushed my decision toward the big flaming finale. I'll be using Bushmill's Irish Whiskey - no family affiliation, I just like the taste.
Thanks,
Annie Davis
Great-Grandaughter of George Kelsey, County Antrim
Irish American Mom
Annie - I hope your Christmas pudding is a great success. Bushmill's Irish Whiskey is perfect for creating your flames, especially for someone with ancestors from County Antrim.
Have a wonderful Christmas, and thank you so much for your kind words about my blog.
All the best,
Mairéad
T.M. Johnson
Mairead, where were you a year ago when I needed this information?? Dickens' A Christmas Carol inspired me to try my hand at a plum pudding, so Christmas 2013 I set myself to the task. The results I chronicled in my blog ("The Proof is in the Pudding," 12/28/2013). I, too, used brandy as my incendiary but did not create the effect your technique achieved. I just poured the "spirits" on my pudding and set it ablaze. First attempt yielded a paltry flame, so I poured more on the "pyre" with better effect but certainly not equal to yours.
This year we're hosting our family's annual Christmas "Doin's" and I considered a pudding theatre, especially for my 91 year old mom, but decided against it because the presentation needs to have a sitdown venue with a captive audience. Our family gathering is a "flow and mingle" affair, so a pudding show would not be possible. (I'm off the hook there as I remember last year's pudding as time/labor intensive.)
Tradition, according to my recipe, also suggested silver coins be mixed into the pudding batter, a special surprise to the finder (most likely a poor return for the $$ required for a reconstructed tooth). Silver coins are not easy to come by in this day and age of precious metals inflation and I had to do some scrambling around to find a dime minted before 1965. I did find one in my coin collection, polished it up, and stirred it into the batter. Seven guests were at our table and the dime remained undiscovered after the initial serving. I found it later in a piece I served as leftovers and saved the coin for a future flambeu event.
By the way, your pudding looks much smaller than mine. Did you bake individual ones for each guest and have a personal ignition?
Thanks so much for the post and the instructions on how to create an impressive flaming pudding. I plan to scribble down your instructions on my recipe come the time I attempt a second try. Fire extinguisher? Just have a box of baking soda handy for a lower profile of holocaust prevention. Cheers again and enjoy the pudding. TMJ
Irish American Mom
T.M. - I love your Christmas pudding story, and definitely watch those teeth with hidden silver coins. I think that's an English more than an Irish tradition.
I'm glad you enjoyed my Christmas pudding lighting tutorial. I took photos of lighting a small pudding, made with the leftovers this year, because when I'm doing my own cooking I'm not as exact with measurements as I would be when cooking for my blog. I think this little pudding was easiest to light because of it's rounded shape at the bottom. The spirits spread out very evenly for a lovely blazing effect.
Have a lovely Christmas.
Mairéad
Gail
Love the tip for lighting a Christmas Pudding. Where else would you get instructions for doing something like this? Thanks!
Irish American Mom
Glad to help out with my fire lighting tips.
Best wishes for a lovely Christmas.
Mairéad
Brian@irelandfavorites
'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house
Mairead went a searching, for her bottle of souse
The candles were stored by the cabinets with care
in hopes that Maread soon would be there.
The Hennessy tested and snug with her mate
while visions of pudding aflame on the plate.
The kids in their jumpers and she with a bow
They entered the kitchen for the fiery show
The big spoon was readied the brandy aflame
the pudding awaited, this was the big game
Blue flames engulfed this Christmas tradition
and none could best Mairead's rendition.
With plenty of satisfied Christmas devourers
they could only watch tv for hours and hours
And when it was over with stomachs all tight
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, and to all a good night.
Cheers, Merry Christmas Mairead and a Happy Christmas as well,
Brian.
Irish American Mom
Brian - I love it. Great Christmas pudding rhyming.
Best wishes to you and your family for a lovely Christmas.
Mairéad
Claire Jones
Hi there!
I came across your site while browsing for all things Christmas pudding! Mary, my Irish friend, started hosting pudding making sessions a few years ago, and we have such fun in the planning and preparation. This year, one friend mentioned she received as a gift from relatives in England, a pudding plate and matching pitcher ( holly pattern). I love the idea, and would like to order a set such as this for Mary. I have been unsuccessful finding anything like this online. Have you seen such sets, and would you know where to order?
Thanks!
Claire Jones
Irish American Mom
Claire - What a beautiful gift your friend received from her family in England. It sounds like a lovely matching set for serving Christmas pudding with sauce. I'm afraid I don't know of any maker of such gift sets. I did a quick search on the internet and could only find fine china from many years ago that appear to be collectors' items. When you search you may find the term sauce boat is used instead of pitcher. I hope this helps and wishing you every success on your quest to find this beautiful gift. If I ever find something similar I'll let you know.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Claire Jones
Thank you for your kind reply. I appreciate your input, and continue to look for this special set for serving pudding!
Best,
Claire
Maury
I always wanted to taste a plum pudding Mairead, and I have never even seen one! I wish you and your family a lovely Christmas and wonderful holiday!
Irish American Mom
Many happy returns, Maury. I hope you get to taste a plum pudding someday. It's a rich, fruity pudding and a true taste of Christmas for my Irish palate.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Oona Settembre
Thanks for the journey home on the Christmas pud. My mum from County Cork and we ate many a pudding! Thanks for bringing back some precious memories!
Irish American Mom
Hi Oona - I'm so glad this post brought back happy memories. You can't beat a Christmas pudding for dessert on Christmas day.
All the best,
Mairéad