If you do not want to make the pudding , you do not have to . In the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries , pudding refers to rich , fairly homogeneous starch - or dairy-based desserts such as rice pudding and Christmas pudding , or , informally , any sweet dish after the main course . The word is also used for savory dishes such as Yorkshire pudding , black pudding , suet pudding and steak and kidney pudding .