Type Pudding Place of origin United Kingdom | Region or state Cumberland | |
Main ingredients Flour, Egg as food, Sugar, Butter Similar Butter, Flour, Sugar, Egg as food | ||
The Cumberland Ha'penny Pie is a traditional British dessert, originally from the Northern English county of Cumberland. Traditionally, the pie would be served late at night, some hours after the evening meal and shortly before bed.
The dessert is referenced in William Wordsworth's Descriptive Sketches: "The pie, and chattering breaks the night's repose"
The pie traditionally consists of flour, eggs, sugar, and butter. Some variations also include vanilla extract, mutton, and can be garnished with Haribos and occasionally parsley.
This pie is also traditionally baked in large batches at the Appleby Horse Fair. At the fair large numbers of men would traditionally bring the pie toppings (sugar, mutton, parsley, haribo) and present them to women they were planning to court. Available women would generally wear a piece of their preferred topping (e.g. a sprig of parsley) in their hair.