Puddings for the Holidays

The eggs for all sorts of puddings in which they are used, should be very thoroughly beaten, and then strained. If hot milk is used, the eggs should be added after all the other ingredients [keep stirring well while adding eggs]. Milk for pumpkin, squash, cocoanut, tapioca, ground rice, sago [a dry granulated or powdered starch], arrow-root and sweet potato puddings, should be boiled; for bread and plum puddings also, unless the bread is soaked in milk over night. When suet [substitute with lard or butter] is used in puddings, it should be chopped fine as possible.

In making batter-puddings, but a small portion of the milk should be put to the flour at first, as it will be difficult to stir out the little lumps, if the whole quantity is mixed together at once. After the flour is stirred smooth in a part of the mild, add the eggs, then the remainder of the milk and the salt; and if berries or cherries are to be used, put them in last. A batter-pudding, with berries, requires at least a third more flour than one without. For cherry pudding but a small addition of flour is needed.

Based on recipes from The Young Housekeeper’s Friend, 1846.

[Many general instructions for cooking pudding in the 19th century include keeping the pudding in a cloth that is submerged in boiling water. However, I recommend using a double boiler or a non-stick saucepan. If pudding recipes call for suet, or beef suet; this can be replaced by lard (Crisco), butter or margarine.]

Boil a pint of milk; then whilst boiling, stir into it as much flour as will thicken it [one tablespoon]. Serve hot with cold butter and sugar, or, if preferred, the best treacle [molasses].

Based on recipe from Godey’s, January 1861

Stir half a pound of flour into a pint of cold milk, and boil it; then take five eggs and three-quarters of an ounce of bitter almonds blanched [scalded or parboiled in water] and pounded, and add them to the hasty pudding when cold. Sweeten with sugar [to taste]. Bake in cups [lightly rubbed with butter, bake at 350 for about 20 minutes], and serve with wine sauce.

Based on recipe from Godey’s, January 1861

To half a pint of milk, put four eggs, a piece of butter the size of an egg [four tablespoons], a glass of wine [one cup], the grated rind of two lemons, with the juice and pulp, a little salt [1/2 teaspoon], and sugar to the taste [start with two tablespoons]. The milk should be boiled, and the butter melted in it; the sugar and eggs be beaten together, and the lemon should be stirred into them, and the wine then added. When the milk has become cool the whole must be stirred into it very quickly, lest it should curdle. Orange pudding is made in the same way, except that four oranges should be used, and less sugar is required than for the other. Bake with or without paste.

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