20^th century

War & Peace Pudding

D uring wartime, Ingredients for plum pudding were hard to come by so the Ministry of Food produced a recipe for a ‘War and Peace Pudding’ made of carrots, potatoes and suet. The recipe also appeared as a ‘Wartime Christmas Pudding’. Carrots and potato were both promoted by the Ministry of Food because they grew easily and were plentiful, and therefore they were important to keep people healthy. Potato was often used as an alternative to other Ingredients in dishes and carrots were used because of their sweet flavour. At some point ‘carrots on sticks’ were sold to children instead of ice cream – which was banned – and ‘toffee carrots’ replaced toffee apples.

This pudding was made in Canada during the last war, and since then many people have never bothered with a rich Christmas pudding.

Mix together 1 cupful of flour; 1 cupful of breadcrumbs, half a cupful of suet, half a cupful of mixed dried fruit, and, if you like, a teaspoonful of mixed sweet spice. Then add a cupful of raw potato, a cupful of grated raw carrot and finally a level teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in two tablespoonful of hot water. Mix all together, turn into a well-greased pudding bowl. The bowl should not be more then two-thirds full. Boil or steam for at least 2 hours.

Ministry of Food, War cookery leaflet no. 4, Carrots, WW2

Getting children to eat carrots was such a big deal that carrot cartoon figures were created: first Doctor Carrot, then Carrot George and his friends, created by Walt Disney.

Makes 1 pudding in a 14 cm (5½ inch/No. 42) diameter basin (mould)

75 g (2¾ oz) carrots, grated

100 g (3½ oz) potatoes, grated

85 g (3 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

30 g (1 oz/½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs

30 g (1 oz) shredded suet

1 teaspoon ground allspice or mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

2 tablespoons warm water

1 tablespoon mixed dried fruit, soaked in water, rum or brandy

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F). Prepare the pudding basins for steaming as instructed.

In a large bowl, combine the carrot, potato, flour, breadcrumbs, suet and allspice. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the water and add to the mixture. On a lightly floured work surface, knead into a ball. Don’t be alarmed if the mixture seems dry, it will come together after kneading it for a few minutes.

Work through the mixed dried fruit and roll the dough into a ball. Put the ball into the prepared pudding basin and push it down. Prepare the pudding for steaming as instructed. Steam for 2 hours.

Serve with carrot jam.