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.

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62

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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

How many prunes should I eat per day? ›

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 .

What does prune mean in baking? ›

Prunes are a special type of dried plum. The plums are oval, black-skinned, loose-stoned and very sweet. They can be dried or semi-dried and the most famous variety is Prunes d'Agen. Luscious vegan gingerbread.

How to remove pits from dried prunes? ›

Initial laboratory studies showed that heating dried prunes in boiling water for approximately five minutes usually loos- ened the pit so it could be punched from the prune with a minimum of flesh ad- hering. Excessive rupturing of flesh and skin resulted if the pit was not removed in a line with its major axis.

How many prunes does it take to stimulate a bowel movement? ›

For children, Dr. Jow recommended one to two prunes or two to four ounces of prune juice daily. For adults, he suggested three to five prunes or half a cup of prune juice once or twice daily. And be careful not to eat too many prunes, warned Dr.

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

If you're an adult trying prune juice for the first time, it's best, to begin with a four-ounce serving (half-cup) in the morning. If it's well-tolerated, consider having another half-cup serving before bedtime. Children should consume half of the amount recommended for adults.

Does prune juice empty your bowels? ›

It is high in fiber and sorbitol (sugar alcohol), making it a natural laxative by easing digestion and making bowel movements more regular. People who drink half a cup of prune juice a day usually don't have trouble with regular bathroom use.

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.)

How long does it take for prunes to work in adults? ›

It will vary from person to person, ranging from “a few hours to a day,” Jow said. To help things along, Jow advised, “It is important to drink plenty of water while taking prunes to stay hydrated and help enhance the effectiveness of the prunes and the function of the digestive system.”

What is the derogatory meaning of prune? ›

noun. a purplish-black partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of plum tree. slang. a dull, uninteresting, or foolish person.

What happens if you prune too much? ›

Cut too much and you'll risk nutritional deficiencies or branches that are too weak to tolerate the wind or fend off diseases or insect invasions. Over pruning and topping can permanently disfigure your trees, or even kill them. Further, a tree's foliage is important for protecting it against excessive sun exposure.

Are dried plums the same as prunes? ›

A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (Prunus domestica) tree. Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of Prunus domestica varieties that have a high soluble solids content, and do not ferment during drying.

What is the white stuff on my dried prunes? ›

Why is there “white stuff” on my prunes? A sugary substance sometimes appears as a deposition on the surface and under the skin of the fruit. This is known as “sugaring” and it's safe to eat.

What happens if you accidentally swallow a prune pit? ›

If you accidentally swallow a fruit pit, it probably won't cause any harm. However, you should not crush or chew the seeds. Children should be taught to spit fruit pits and seeds out. If you or a child swallows a significant amount, it is important to call for help.

Why do you soak prunes in water? ›

How To Eat Prunes? Ayurveda recommends consuming prunes that were soaked in water for at least 2 to 3 hours, for better absorption of the nutrients by the digestive tract.

Do prunes clean your gut? ›

The Bottom Line

Backed by scientific research, prunes have been shown to help improve gastrointestinal function, relieve constipation and promote a healthier gut microbiome.

How many sunsweet prunes are in a serving? ›

A serving size is 5 prunes or 1.5oz. Most people do not experience stomach upset with one serving of prunes a day or throughout the day.

Should you soak prunes before eating? ›

How To Eat Prunes? Ayurveda recommends consuming prunes that were soaked in water for at least 2 to 3 hours, for better absorption of the nutrients by the digestive tract.

Are prunes better than prune juice for constipation? ›

Prunes contain more than double the amount of sorbitol than prune juice, at 11.2–15.5 g of sorbitol per 100 g of dried fruit. Prunes are also richer in fiber, which aids the passage of stool through the digestive tract.

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