Most of us who’ve been fortunate enough to grow up in close and loving families have some very strong traditions associated with the holiday season, things large or small that we must have or do, no matter what else happens.

It may be as simple as certain treasured tree decorations that we know will be hanging from or nestled in the branches every year, or all the way to elaborate lights and lawn displays, eagerly anticipated by neighbors for miles around.

The same is often true when it comes to our holiday food, from mandatory latkes for Hanukkah to roast goose or turkey for Christmas.

During all of my growing-up years, however, the only meat ever found on our holiday table was a venison roast, with possibly a platter of roast duck on the side. With a family full of men who hunted, game was a given for the Christmas meal, a tradition, I’m sorry to say, that could not be maintained for a number of reasons.

Side dishes might change a bit from year to year (molded Jello salad being one example of that which came and went), and desserts may drop from favor (mincemeat pie, unfortunately, has fallen into that category), but our basic traditional holiday table probably hasn’t changed greatly over the years.

Turkey or goose, or perhaps a ham or roast prime rib, along with potatoes (both white and sweet), Brussels sprouts or green beans, cranberries in some form, Waldorf or other fruit salad, and I’m sure there are many other elements unique to each of you. The point is, our Hanukkah and/or Christmas meals are no time to be fooling around with what is expected and traditional.

That, friends, is why I’m getting ready to make a steamed pudding for our Christmas dessert.

One of my earliest Christmas memories is sitting at my grandparents’ dining room table, watching, dazzled, as Grandma slowly walked in from the adjoining kitchen carrying a steaming plum pudding with blue flames flickering on its top and licking up the sides. It was my first remembered taste of this once-a-year treat, liberally dolloped with hard sauce, and I’ve never forgotten it. For me, there is no such thing as Christmas dinner without a steamed pudding for dessert.

There is a problem, however. For my grandmother, there was no question it would be plum pudding; for me, now, there is one big question. Which steamed pudding shall I carry to the table this year?

RECIPES

I’m aware that making a steamed pudding may seem too complicated when you’re up to your ears trying to get the holiday feast put together. Well, keep in mind you can make our pudding a couple of days ahead and keep it, wrapped and refrigerated, until you’re ready to reheat and serve. And believe me, nothing makes quite the same impression as walking to the table with your flaming pudding.

Let’s begin with a recipe I found years ago for a spectacular steamed cranberry pudding (certainly a change from the traditional cranberry offerings), a jewel of a dessert that is as delicious as it is showy. It usurped our plum pudding first time out.

STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING

3¼ cups fresh cranberries, picked over to eliminate bruised, damaged berries

½ cup ground blanched almonds

1¾ cups plus 2 T. sugar

3 T. flour

¾ t. cinnamon

¼ t. each, ground allspice and ground ginger

3 cups fine dry bread crumbs

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup milk

3 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 T. baking powder

½ t. salt

For the glaze: 1 cup cranberry juice

1 cup sugar

1 cup cranberries (select the most perfect)

For the sauce: 1 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 T. Grand Marnier

1 T. fresh lemon juice, or to taste

In a food processor, chop the cranberries coarse, transfer to a bowl and stir in the almonds. Sprinkle the mixture with 1 cup plus the 2 T. of sugar, the flour, cinnamon, allspice and ginger and combine well. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, butter, milk, eggs, baking powder, salt and remaining ¾ cup sugar. Stir this mixture into the cranberry mixture. Butter a 2 qt. steamed pudding mold with a tube and tight fitting lid, line the sides of the mold with waxed paper and butter and flour the inside of the mold.

Spoon the batter into the mold a little at a time, rapping the mold on the counter top to eliminate any air bubbles created as you fill the mold. (It will be about 2/3 full.)

Cover the mold tightly with the lid, or if your mold has no lid, use a double layer of foil tied securely with kitchen string. Tie the mold into a kitchen towel wrung out with cold water and floured lightly (I know, but this is part of the tradition of steamed puddings.)

Set the pudding on a rack set in a pot large enough to allow an inch or more around the sides, with 3 inches of simmering water in it. Cover and steam the pudding, adding more boiling water to the pot as it evaporates, for 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs sticking to it. The pudding will stay warm in the mold, covered, for several hours or you can leave it in the mold and refrigerate it until ready to finish, reheating it in the pot again until heated through.

To make the glaze: In a deep heavy saucepan, cook the cranberry juice, sugar and a pinch of salt over med. heat, stirring and washing down any crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil and boil it, untouched, until a candy thermometer registers 250 degrees. Add the cranberries, remove the pan from heat and let the glaze cool. Transfer to a small bowl and chill, covered, until ready to serve. (You can make this several days ahead; keep refrigerated.)

To make the sauce: In a saucepan, cook the sugar, cream, butter and a pinch of salt over med. heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the Grand Marnier and lemon juice, and let sauce cool. Transfer sauce to a small bowl and chill it, covered, until thick. (You can also do this a few days ahead.)

Just before serving, unmold the warm pudding onto a festive serving plate, pour the glaze over it. Decorate with a sprig of holly or ivy, if you have it available. If you intend to present it flaming, heat an additional small amount of Grand Marnier in a small pan until shimmering (or you can “see” fumes rising from it), pour it on top of the pudding and immediately light it. After the flames die, cut the pudding into slices and serve with the sauce. Serves 10-12.

Another spectacular and quite different steamed pudding just might replace the standard favorite, pumpkin pie. The caramel sauce takes it to another level.

STEAMED PUMPKIN PUDDING

6 oz. (1½ sticks) plus 1 T. softened butter, divided (see instructions)

2¼ cups sugar

3 large eggs

3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1½ cups canned or fresh pumpkin puree

2½ cups flour

2¼ t. baking powder

¾ t. salt

1 t. ground ginger

2 t. ground cinnamon

½ t. ground allspice

For the caramel sauce: 1½ cups sugar

½ cup water

1 cup heavy or whipping cream

For whipped cream topping: ¾ cup whipping cream

1 t. vanilla

2 T. powdered sugar

Butter the inside and the underneath side of the top of a 2 qt. pudding mold. Put 6 oz. of the softened butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on med. until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add lemon juice and pumpkin, beating to combine.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon and allspice.

On low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Spoon batter into the prepared mold and cover with lid.

Place pudding in a pot large enough to hold the mold with at least a 2-inch clearance around. Fill the pot with hot water 1/3 of the way up the mold, cover the pot and bring the water to a low simmer. Steam the pudding 2 hrs., checking to be sure water is simmering during the process. Steam until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool pudding completely before unmolding.

To make caramel sauce: In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water on med. heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the 1 T. butter, turn heat to med.-high and cook syrup without stirring until it is a dark golden color.

Remove from heat and pour the cream into the caramel (wear kitchen gloves; it may splatter). It will foam up quite a bit. Stir to fully dissolve the caramel. Pour into a serving bowl. (If you make this ahead, keep it refrigerated and warm it before serving.) The sauce should be served warm.

To make whipped cream: Beat the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Beat in the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Serve spoonfuls of the steamed pudding with caramel sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

Note: If you wish to bring this pudding to the table flaming, heat a small amount of brandy in a saucepan until shimmering and fumes rise. Pour over the unmolded warm pudding and light immediately. When flames die, serve as indicated above. Serves 12.