The Plum Pudding

August 23, 2014

Plum pudding, together with mince pie, are symbols of hospitality and were always on hand to serve guests in medieval times.  Here in the festival, they suggest the fullness of God's gifts to his children.

Susan West,  photo, 2014

Malcolm Dunn (casting as the Poor Man) with the plum pudding, 2006
C.K. Wang, photo

Malcolm Dunn has been the sole baker of the plum pudding since 1996, and his wife, Priscilla, decorates the final product. It’s a year-long process . The preparation starts by soaking candied fruits with brandy in a jar after Christmas until next October when Malcolm gathers the rest of the ingredients and bakes in the first weekend of October. It requires mixing in two batches by hand and bakes in a specially made tin tube pan for 3 hours. When the cake is completely cooled, he wraps it in brandy-soaked cheesecloth and places it in an antique Grace Rush Fruit Cake tin. He stores it in a refrigerator at their daughter's home and "visits" it monthly to re-soak the brandied cheesecloth.

In the morning before the first performance, Malcolm will glaze the entire cake with orange marmalade which has had the rind removed. Priscilla then places blanched almonds which have been coated with marmalade around the outer edge and inner ring. Then pineapple slices are placed around the top of the cake followed by red and green cherries. The cake is then taken to Christ Church Cathedral where the hole is filled with holly etc. and placed on the trencher.

The Plum Pudding Company

As a tradition since Boar’s Head’s beginning here, the plum pudding is cut and shared with the cast and guests following the last performance. The rich, complex flavor is unmatched!