Eve's Pudding (a Traditional British Apple Dessert) (2024)

FAQs

What is Eve's pudding made of? ›

Eve's pudding, also known as Mother Eve's pudding, is a type of traditional British pudding made from apples baked under a Victoria sponge cake mixture. The name is a reference to the apple variety traditionally used (an eating apple) called Eve. The pudding can be served with custard, cream, or ice cream.

Unless qualified, however, pudding usually means dessert and in the United Kingdom, pudding is used as a synonym for dessert. Puddings made for dessert can be boiled and steamed puddings, baked puddings, bread puddings, batter puddings, milk puddings or even jellies.

American puddings are closer to what the Brits would call "custard." A British pudding is a dish, savory or sweet, that's cooked by being boiled or steamed in something: a dish, a piece of cloth, or even animal intestine.

Treacle tart is a traditional British dessert. The earliest known recipe for the dessert is from English author Mary Jewry in her cookbooks from the late 19th century.

Eve's Pudding, also known as “Mother Eve's pudding” is a tradition British pudding. Named after the biblical Eve it uses apples, the forbidden fruit, as the base. The first known recipe is from 1824.

The Christmas pudding coin

Adding silver coins into plum pudding is a fun Christmas tradition. The notion being that whoever finds the coin will have good luck. The tradition may date as far back as early as the 1300s when several small items like dried peas and chicken wishbones were added to the pudding mixture.

What is ice cream called in England? Ice cream in England, and the rest of the UK is called ice cream.

Hard or crisp cookies are called biscuits in the U.K. while the chewier dessert can be identified as a cookie.

In Britain, what Americans refer to as “biscuits” are known as “scones.” British biscuits are actually what Americans call “cookies.” The term “biscuits” in the United Kingdom typically refers to sweet, crumbly, and sometimes buttery bakes treats, distinct from the soft, bread-like biscuits found in the United States.

Scones and Gravy: The English Equivalent

In England, the closest counterpart to biscuits and gravy would be scones and gravy. However, it's important to note that the gravy in this context refers to a savory sauce, rather than the creamy, sausage-infused gravy that is synonymous with the American version.

Why do Brits call dessert pudding? ›

The reason for using the word 'pudding' instead of dessert is actually based on the British class system. Traditionally, pudding referred to homely and rustic desserts that were commonly eaten by the lower classes, such as spotted dick and rice pudding.

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

A British biscuit is not remotely similar to the fluffy and filling American biscuits made famous in Southern American cuisine. The closest British equivalent to those buttery miracles is a scone, which ain't too bad either.

What is the oldest English dessert? Its probably Syllabub, a sweet cream dessert with a slightly gelatinous second part. The recipe goes back at least as far as the 16th Century. Whisk all the ingredients together until the syllabub just holds its shape.

Ashure (Noah's Pudding) is thought to be the oldest dessert in the world, first made by Noah after his fabled landfall at Mt Ararat. It is a delightful mix of dried fruit, nuts, grains and beans (yes, beans!) made in Turkey and all over the Middle East. Give it a try - you'll be glad you did!

(For those unfamiliar with the Missourian dessert, Ozark Pudding is a cake-like pudding made from apples and pecans—or sometimes black walnuts. Although associated with The Ozarks, South Carolinians and other Southerners might know this dessert as a Huguenot torte.)

Religious significance

It is believed that a Christmas pudding must contain thirteen ingredients. These ingredients each represent Jesus and each of his twelve disciples. Traditionally, brandy is poured over the Christmas pudding and set aflame before serving. The flames are believed to represent Christ's passion.

It is made from pork or occasionally beef blood, with pork fat or beef suet, and a cereal, usually oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats. The high proportion of cereal, along with the use of certain herbs such as pennyroyal, serves to distinguish black pudding from blood sausages eaten in other parts of the world.