Queen Elizabeth Is Asking UK Residents To Create The Perfect Pudding
On February 6 2022, Queen Elizabeth will officially become the first British Monarch to celebrate a 70 year reign, and what better way to commemorate the milestone than with a nationwide pudding competition? The official Royal Family website announced that the contest is just one of many community activities included in the year-long Platinum Jubilee celebration leading up to a four day holiday weekend in early June, during which the winning pudding will be served.
Any U.K. resident (who is at least eight years old) has the opportunity to submit their recipe for the "perfect Platinum Pudding" in honor of The Queen, but only five finalists will get the chance to prepare it before a panel of judges. Leading the panel is Dame Mary Berry, known by many for hosting "The Great British Bake Off," who will be joined by Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan, as well as a team of professional chefs, bakers, and culinary experts (via Fortnum and Mason). The competition is open for submissions through the Fortnum and Mason website from January 10 to February 4, followed by three rounds of judging. The winner will be chosen from the top five recipes during the live final on March 14.
Top tips for a Platinum Pudding
When most non-Brits hear pudding, they probably think of bread pudding or Christmas pudding, or maybe even the kind that comes in a cup. However, according to Atlas Obscura, pudding is more of a general term that usually refers to desserts; but depending on the context and region of the U.K. you're in, pudding can also be used to refer to more savory items served during other courses, such as black pudding (which is blood sausage), or Yorkshire pudding.
As for what pudding will be fit for the Queen, that's up to the discretion of the contest participants. In a tweet posted by the official Royal Family Twitter account, Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan advised keeping it simple and going in the sweet direction. "Most of us think of a pudding or a cake as a treat, so really make the flavours sing so they can be that treat," the chef shared. The Fortnum and Mason website clarifies that "all desserts are puddings," but also provides examples for more savory puddings like haggis and dumplings.
Considering the criteria for this royal dish is so broad, there's really no way to predict what the winning Platinum Pudding will look or taste like. We guess you'll just have to wait till March to find out.