You may have sung of it in unfashionably cheery holiday songs, or seen picture-perfect ones drawn on holiday cards—but for you and most people, the existence of figgy pudding is no more than theoretical. Well, happy holidays, Einstein: Not only is it real, this dome-shaped, alcohol-doused cake used to be the centerpiece dessert of the Christmas feast.

In 18th- and 19th-century England, figgy pudding was practically the Beluga of its day. The pudding—made in advance, then steamed and served between guests—packed in the most valued ingredients available: plums, figs, apricots, all bundled together and spiced with nutmeg.

And there was another rich ingredient: silver. With the kind of eccentric twist you might expect from the Victorians, cooks back then would hide silver charms and coins in the pudding, to bring luck to whoever found them.

As yuletide ironies go, "lucky" choking hazards are pretty unbeatable. But they are just one of the challenges facing anyone who wants to recreate this traditional food.

See, there's no authorized version of this dish. Somewhere along the way, the distinction between figgy pudding and the similar plum pudding disappeared. Since all the fruit was imported from the Mediterranean and North Africa, it's likely that some of the cooks in years past weren't clear on the difference between, say, a fig and a dried plum. (Or, indeed, the difference between plums and currants: Confusingly, though "figgy" and "plum" puddings are considered euphemisms for Christmas pudding, most versions of that dish contain neither figs nor plums.) Whatever: All it means for you is that you need to decide right now if you really want figs.

If you do, you have to choose between fresh and dried fruit. Going for fresh figs means you can take advantage of the many varieties available, from the dark, sweet Mission, to the pink-fleshed Celeste. Slicing three or four figs and making them the base of the pudding mix works well. Dried figs, available in cardboard packs from halal grocers and chefs' markets, aren't as juicy—but they are rich and sticky, making the pudding bind well.

On the upside, three centuries of experience testify that this is one kind of cake you can really make ahead of time. In the past, it was always made five Sundays before Christmas—a day known as Stir-Up Sunday, when all the ingredients were mixed, and then wrapped in muslin or a similar fabric and allowed to cure. Stir-Up Sunday was two weeks back, but there's still time to get cooking. And nowadays, it's much more common to use a dome-shaped metal basin. Make the pudding, then store it in a cool, dry place until the Christmas feast. Serve it hot, with traditional accompaniments: brandy or rum butter, and what the English call custard, a warm vanilla-flavored sauce. Alternatively, update the dish with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

The whole shebang isn't really the same without the addition of charms or money—trust us, nothing feels quite as great as being rewarded for over-indulgence. For safety's sake, though, wrap the charms in aluminum foil. It prevents other metals leaching into the sweet cake, and bundling them up makes them easier to find before they get swallowed.

Make It

Figgy Pudding

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.

Remove the stones from the dates and prunes. Butter a large pudding basin. Sift flour into a bowl. Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water. Turn out on to a floured surface. Lightly knead until smooth. Roll out two-thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well-greased 2-pint pudding basin. Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon. Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture. Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl. Moisten edges of pastry with water. Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry. Press edges well together to seal. Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil. Steam steadily for 2 hours. Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water. Turn out onto a plate and serve.

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy The Foody UK & Ireland, www.thefoody.com.