Prune Pudding Recipe (2024)

Recipe from the White House

Adapted by Steven Kurutz

Prune Pudding Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes, plus an hour for chilling
Rating
4(62)
Notes
Read community notes

This smooth, satisfying pudding recipe served at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's White House originally called for leaving the prunes in water overnight. But now that pitted prunes are readily available, an hour’s soak is all you need to speed the cooking process. Sweet, but not overly so, it lends itself to delicious variations: add a bit of cardamom; sprinkle with walnuts; spoon some over thick, creamy yogurt; or try all of these together. The strong cinnamon flavor and dark color make the pudding ideal for autumn and holiday desserts. The portions here may seem small, but as with any dish involving prunes, a little goes a long way. —Steven Kurutz

Featured in: The Depressing Food of the Depression, in ‘A Square Meal’

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½pound (about 2 dozen medium-size) pitted prunes
  • ½cup sugar
  • ¼teaspoon powdered cinnamon
  • 11-inch cinnamon stick
  • 3tablespoons cornstarch

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

258 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 47 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 2 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Prune Pudding Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Place prunes in a medium-size saucepan, pour in 2 cups hot water and let stand for 1 hour. Transfer saucepan to the stove and bring prunes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes until soft.

  2. Step

    2

    Drain prunes, reserving the liquid, and roughly chop. Add more hot water to the reserved prune water so it totals 2 cups. Place prunes and prune water back in the saucepan and add the sugar, powdered cinnamon and cinnamon stick. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

  3. Step

    3

    Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water. Add the slurry to the prune mixture and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken mixture. Remove the cinnamon stick and ladle the pudding into ramekins. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

Ratings

4

out of 5

62

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Virginia

I add a half cup of cocoa and it was delicious

Cedarglen

Cardamom? Walnuts? Let us not forget that this was depression era food and such added luxuries may not have been used even for FDR's table. Mrs. Nesbitt would not permit it.

Aimee Risch

Since it's not the depression, used this recipe as a template and made apricot pudding with cardamom.

Peggy Herron

The food was so bad at the White House that FDR hired his own Philippine cooks & had the commissioned in the Navy so they could cook for him on his yacht . No prune pudding was alowed .

Lynn in DC

I made this recipe minus the sugar as prunes are sufficiently sweet on their own. I quite enjoyed it but then I ate stewed prunes regularly (no pun intended) for breakfast when I was a child.

carol

This pudding is very similar to my Grandmother’s Norwegian sviskegrit (or svedskegrød) which we all loved. She used prunes which she stewed and then removed the pits, added apple sauce and cinnamon. Her son, my father, added a little cream to his dish. No sugar, no thickener! Always a welcome visit to childhood

alacarte

My riff: soaked the prunes in hot water along with 2 Earl Grey tea bags for some extra flavor. I removed the bags after the hour of soaking. Added 1/4 tsp cardamom, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 1/4 cup sugar to the cinnamon (stick and spice). Turned out well! I do wonder why the prunes are soaked whole, drained and then chopped, rather than chopped first before soaking.

Betty

I had problems. It seemed to me the corn starch to water ratio for the slurry was off because when I added it to the prune mixture the corn starch turned into gelatinous chunks. So I fished out the chunks and tried again with 3 T. corn starch to 3 T. water and that seemed to work better, but the moment you add the cornstarch and water mixture to the hot prune mixture you have to immediately beat it quickly because if you're too slow, little white pieces that look like cartilage form.

Aimee Risch

Since it's not the depression, used this recipe as a template and made apricot pudding with cardamom.

Paula

What is the advantage of making stewed prunes into a pudding.
Cornstarch + prunes = ???
Seems like stewed prunes might serve here.

Virginia

I add a half cup of cocoa and it was delicious

Lynn in DC

I made this recipe minus the sugar as prunes are sufficiently sweet on their own. I quite enjoyed it but then I ate stewed prunes regularly (no pun intended) for breakfast when I was a child.

Rebecca

Has anyone made this with brown sugar?

Teresa Hall Briggs

Can I substitute additional cinnamon for the 1" cinnamon stick? If so, how much?

Peggy Herron

The food was so bad at the White House that FDR hired his own Philippine cooks & had the commissioned in the Navy so they could cook for him on his yacht . No prune pudding was alowed .

Cedarglen

Cardamom? Walnuts? Let us not forget that this was depression era food and such added luxuries may not have been used even for FDR's table. Mrs. Nesbitt would not permit it.

Darren

Just because that is how it was then, doesn't mean it's not an interesting variation to try now...

Besides, walnuts are a handy windfall foodstuff that probably got well eaten during the depression

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Prune Pudding Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is prune pudding made of? ›

Drain prunes, reserving the liquid, and roughly chop. Add more hot water to the reserved prune water so it totals 2 cups. Place prunes and prune water back in the saucepan and add the sugar, powdered cinnamon and cinnamon stick. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

How many dried prunes should I eat? ›

Only 50 grams (or five to six prunes) a day were necessary to see benefits. Further studies suggest that a 50-gram daily portion of prunes may protect bone health in older men and in postmenopausal women .

How to make a prune? ›

Dry at 140 degrees F (60°C) in an oven or dehydrator. If necessary, turn large pieces over every 3 to 4 hours during the drying period. Fruits can scorch easily toward the end of drying, so monitor more closely as drying nears completion. Dried fruits should be leathery and pliable.

Are prunes good for your bowels? ›

Prunes are a good source of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps to ease constipation and keep your bowel movements regular, while soluble fiber helps to moderate digestion and absorb nutrients from your food. Dried plums also contain sorbitol and chlorogenic acid, which can increase stool frequency.

Why are prunes a better laxative than plums? ›

The fibre content in plums aids in maintaining a healthy digestive system by adding bulk to the stool, reducing the risk of constipation, and encouraging regular bowel movements. Prunes, on the other hand, are often touted as nature's remedy for constipation due to their high sorbitol content.

How long after eating prunes do you go to the bathroom? ›

How quickly prunes or prune juice will work depends on each individual. Some will see results in as little as a few hours. For some, it may take a day or so. Using this “go-slow” approach makes you more likely to improve symptoms without rapid urgency or even diarrhea.

What's the best time to eat prunes for constipation? ›

People with constipation may find that drinking between half a cup and 1 cup of prune juice in the morning helps stimulate digestion. A second cup 30 minutes to 1 hour after a heavy meal may also be beneficial.

Is it better to eat prunes in the morning or at night? ›

The high concentrations of vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium in prunes all help produce melatonin. These proteins are often lacking in a plant-based diet, so this is a great late-night snack if you're dairy-free.

Why do you soak prunes in water? ›

Some people prefer to soak dried prunes to rehydrate them, making them softer and juicier before consumption. Soaking can also help alleviate any digestive discomfort that might arise from eating dried fruits in their dehydrated state.

Are soaked prunes better for constipation? ›

So, go by how much suits you. *If I've had foods which I know trigger my gut and cause constipation then I add more prunes to my diet, said Chowdhary. *There is a mechanism that makes soaked prunes more efficient for constipation other than the fact that your overall water intake goes up a bit.

Are prunes better than prune juice for constipation? ›

Dried prunes can be just as effective as prune juice in providing constipation relief. In fact, dried prunes may be a preferred option for mild to moderate cases. This is due to their higher concentration of sorbitol and fiber compared to prune juice, which loses some fiber during the juicing process.

How many prunes equal a glass of prune juice? ›

(Research shows that drinking as little as 2 ounces of prune juice a day can increase bowel movements.) A second half-cup serving at night before bedtime might be worth trying if your system responds well. (Five dried prunes is the rough equivalent of a half-cup of juice.)

What is the difference between dried prunes and prune juice? ›

Some people call plums fresh prunes. Dried plums are called prunes, and prune juice is made from heated prunes.

How do you use dried prunes for constipation? ›

directions
  1. In a small saucepan, place prunes, water, and orange juice. ...
  2. Prunes will absorb most of the water, and the remaining water will thicken into a consistency of syrup. ...
  3. Transfer hot prunes and syrup to a bowl. ...
  4. HINT: This remedy should work within 24 hours and can be safely eaten as often and as long as needed.

What is the laxative ingredient in prunes? ›

The laxative action of both prune and prune juice could be explained by their high sorbitol content (14.7 and 6.1 g/100 g, respectively).

Why do people eat plum pudding? ›

It was believed it would bring good luck. In 1644 the Puritans tried to ban the pudding as they said it was 'sinfully rich' and 'unfit for God-fearing people'! In 1714 King George reestablished the pudding and it was enjoyed as a dessert for Christmas.

What the heck is plum pudding? ›

A plum pudding is a dessert made with flour and suet, and usually only one or two fruits (generally not plums!). It is steamed in a bag and is eaten warm, often with a hard sauce made with rum or brandy. So, common ingredients but not the same thing.

Is plum pudding the same as fruit cake? ›

The term "plum cake" and "fruit cake" have become interchangeable. Since dried fruit is used as a sweetening agent and any dried fruit used to be described as "plums", many plum cakes and plum puddings do not contain the plum fruit now known by that name.

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