Great Depression Christmas Pudding

Gelatinous Christmas pudding with chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, and whipped cream

---

City/Region: United States of America

Time Period: 1931

---

During the Great Depression, making Christmas festive was more important than ever. Homemade gifts, cards, and decorations defined the season when money was tight for everyone. Many people who lived through the Great Depression recalled that no matter what, Christmas dinner was special. 

This recipe from 1931 comes from a radio program hosted by the fictional character Aunt Sammy, who was supposedly the wife of Uncle Sam. I’m not quite sure how this Christmas pudding was much less expensive than a traditional boiled pudding, but it’s an interesting change nonetheless. I like the flavors of the chocolate and fruit coming through, though I do wish the texture was a little smoother.

“There are twelve ingredients. Quite a lot to write down but I’ll go slowly.

2 tablespoons of granulated gelatin
1 cup of cold water
1 pint of milk
1 cup of sugar
1 and 1/2 squares of chocolate
1 cup of seeded raisins
3/4 of a cup of dates
1/2 cup of nuts
1/2 cup of currants, and
3 egg whites

That’s a long list. I’ll go over it again while you check. (Repeat)

To make this pudding, first soften the gelatin in the cold water for ten minutes. While the gelatin is soaking, melt the chocolate with part of the sugar. When it is melted, add a little of the milk, just enough to make a smooth paste. Put the rest of the milk in the upper part of the double boiler. When the milk is hot, add to it the melted chocolate. Then the sugar and salt. And, finally, the soaked gelatin. Stir the mixture. Then remove it from the fire. Set it away to grow cold. When it begins to thicken, add the vanilla, the fruit, and the chopped nut meats. Then fold in the beaten egg whites.

Now turn the mixture into a wet pudding mold decorated with whole nut meats and raisins. Set the mold in the refrigerator or other cold place, to chill. When the pudding is cold and firm, and it is time for serving at dinner, turn it out on a pudding plate or platter. Garnish it with sprigs of holly. A wreath of holly springs around the edge and one stuck in the top makes it look like a real Christmas pudding.

Serve the pudding with whipped cream, sweetened and flavored with vanilla, or with a currant jelly sauce. ”

— Aunt Sammy, December 1931

---

Ingredients:

Pudding

• 2 tablespoons (17 g) granulated gelatin
• 1 cup (235 ml) cold water
• 1 1/2 ounces (45 g) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided
• 2 cups (475 ml) milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup (150 g) raisins
• 3/4 cup (100 g) chopped dates
• 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped nuts, I used walnuts
• 1/2 cup (70 g) dried currants
• 3 egg whites
• Walnut or pecan halves and raisins, for decorating

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup (227 g) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (28 g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. To make the pudding: First bloom the gelatin by sprinkling it over the cold water, then give it a stir. Let it sit for 10 minutes
2. In a large pan over low heat, melt the chocolate with about 2 tablespoons of the sugar. When it’s melted, add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the milk and stir it in, enough to make a smooth paste.
3. In a separate pan or the microwave, heat the rest of the milk until steaming. Add it to the chocolate and stir until combined.
4. Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until the gelatin has completely melted.
5. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set it aside to cool or place it in the fridge. If you put it in the fridge, keep a close eye on it because you don’t want it to set up all the way. You want to take it out just when the mixture begins to thicken.
6. Stir the thickened mixture until it’s mostly smooth. Stir in the vanilla, dried fruit, and chopped nuts.
7. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
8. Add the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture and gently fold them in until no streaks remain.
9. Take a large mold, heat-resistant bowl (heat-resistant is important if you're going to dip the bowl in simmering water to unmold the pudding later), or pudding basin and wet the inside. Arrange the walnut or pecan halves and the raisins for decorating into a pattern on the bottom of the bowl, however you like.
10. Gently pour the pudding mixture into the mold so as not to disturb your decorations, and smooth the top. Set it in the fridge to chill until it has fully firmed up, several hours at least is best.
11. When the pudding has set, dip the bowl in simmering water then invert it onto a plate to demold. Instead, you can wrap a hot towel around it after inverting it on a serving plate to get the pudding to release. Remove the mold.
12. To make the whipped cream: Pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Sift in the powdered sugar and add the vanilla. Whip to stiff peaks.
13. Serve the pudding forth with the whipped cream and some Christmas cheer.

---