MINIATURE BREAD PUDDINGS.
1254. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of milk, 1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, 4 eggs, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, sugar to taste, 2 tablespoonfuls of brandy, 1 teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel.
_Mode_.--Make the milk boiling, pour it on to the bread crumbs, and let them soak for about 1/2 hour. Beat the eggs, mix these with the bread crumbs, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well until all is thoroughly mixed. b.u.t.ter some small cups; rather more than half fill them with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, and serve with sweet sauce. A few currants may be added to these puddings: about 3 oz. will be found sufficient for the above quant.i.ty.
_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 10d.
_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 small puddings.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
BAKED BREAD-AND-b.u.t.tER PUDDING.
1255. INGREDIENTS.--9 thin slices of bread and b.u.t.ter, 1-1/2 pint of milk, 4 eggs, sugar to taste, 1/4 lb. of currants, flavouring of vanilla, grated lemon-peel or nutmeg.
_Mode_.--Cut 9 slices of bread and b.u.t.ter not very thick, and put them into a pie-dish, with currants between each layer and on the top.
Sweeten and flavour the milk, either by infusing a little lemon-peel in it, or by adding a few drops of essence of vanilla; well whisk the eggs, and stir these to the milk. _Strain_ this over the bread and b.u.t.ter, and bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour, or rather longer. This pudding may be very much enriched by adding cream, candied peel, or more eggs than stated above. It should not be turned out, but sent to table in the pie-dish, and is better for being made about 2 hours before it is baked.
_Time_.--1 hour, or rather longer. _Average cost_, 9d.
_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
b.u.t.tER.--b.u.t.ter is indispensable in almost all culinary preparations. Good fresh b.u.t.ter, used in moderation, is easily digested; it is softening, nutritious, and fattening, and is far more easily digested than any other of the oleaginous substances sometimes used in its place.
CABINET or CHANCELLOR"S PUDDING.
1256. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 oz. of candied peel, 4 oz. of currants, 4 dozen sultanas, a few slices of Savoy cake, sponge cake, a French roll, 4 eggs, 1 pint of milk, grated lemon-rind, 1/4 nutmeg, 3 table-spoonfuls of sugar.
[Ill.u.s.tration: CABINET PUDDING.]
_Mode_.--Melt some b.u.t.ter to a paste, and with it, well grease the mould or basin in which the pudding is to be boiled, taking care that it is b.u.t.tered in every part. Cut the peel into thin slices, and place these in a fanciful device at the bottom of the mould, and fill in the s.p.a.ces between with currants and sultanas; then add a few slices of sponge cake or French roll; drop a few drops of melted b.u.t.ter on these, and between each layer sprinkle a few currants. Proceed in this manner until the mould is nearly full; then flavour the milk with nutmeg and grated lemon-rind; add the sugar, and stir to this the eggs, which should be well beaten. Beat this mixture for a few minutes; then strain it into the mould, which should be quite full; tie a piece of b.u.t.tered paper over it, and let it stand for 2 hours; then tie it down with a cloth, put it into boiling water, and let it boil slowly for 1 hour. In taking it up, let it stand for a minute or two before the cloth is removed; then quickly turn it out of the mould or basin, and serve with sweet sauce separately. The flavouring of this pudding may be varied by subst.i.tuting for the lemon-rind essence of vanilla or bitter almonds; and it may be made much richer by using cream; but this is not at all necessary.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
A PLAIN CABINET or BOILED BREAD-AND-b.u.t.tER PUDDING.
1257. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of raisins, a few thin slices of bread and b.u.t.ter, 3 eggs, 1 pint of milk, sugar to taste, 1/4 nutmeg.
_Mode_.--b.u.t.ter a pudding-basin, and line the inside with a layer of raisins that have been previously stoned; then nearly fill the basin with slices of bread and b.u.t.ter with the crust cut off, and, in another basin, beat the eggs; add to them the milk, sugar, and grated nutmeg; mix all well together, and pour the whole on to the bread and b.u.t.ter; let it stand 1/2 hour, then tie a floured cloth over it; boil for 1 hour, and serve with sweet sauce. Care must be taken that the basin is quite full before the cloth is tied over.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 9d.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
CANARY PUDDING.
1258. INGREDIENTS.--The weight of 3 eggs in sugar and b.u.t.ter, the weight of 2 eggs in flour, the rind of 1 small lemon, 3 eggs.
_Mode_.--Melt the b.u.t.ter to a liquid state, but do not allow it to oil; stir to this the sugar and finely-minced lemon-peel, and gradually dredge in the flour, keeping the mixture well stirred; whisk the eggs; add these to the pudding; beat all the ingredients until thoroughly blended, and put them into a b.u.t.tered mould or basin; boil for 2 hours, and serve with sweet sauce.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 9d.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
BAKED OR BOILED CARROT PUDDING.
1259. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of bread crumbs, 4 oz. of suet, 1/4 lb. of stoned raisins, 3/4 lb. of carrot, 1/4 lb. of currants, 3 oz. of sugar, 3 eggs, milk, 1/4 nutmeg.
_Mode_.--Boil the carrots until tender enough to mash to a pulp; add the remaining ingredients, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of thick batter. If to be boiled, put the mixture into a b.u.t.tered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for 2-1/2 hours: if to be baked, put it into a pie-dish, and bake for nearly an hour; turn it out of the dish, strew sifted sugar over it, and serve.
_Time_.--2-1/2 hours to boil; 1 hour to bake. _Average cost_, 1s. 2d.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to March.
CARROTS, says Liebig, contain the same kind of sugar as the juice of the sugar-cane.
ROYAL COBURG PUDDING.
1260. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of new milk, 6 oz. of flour, 6 oz. of sugar, 6 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 6 oz. of currants, 6 eggs, brandy and grated nutmeg to taste.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour to a smooth batter with the milk, add the remaining ingredients _gradually_, and when well mixed, put it into four basins or moulds half full; bake for 3/4 hour, turn the puddings out on a dish, and serve with wine sauce.
_Time_.--3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d.
_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
CHERRY TART.
1261. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lb. of cherries, 2 small tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, 1/2 lb. of short crust, No. 1210 or 1211.
_Mode_.--Pick the stalks from the cherries, put them, with the sugar, into a _deep_ pie-dish just capable of holding them, with a small cup placed upside down in the midst of them. Make a short crust with 1/2 lb.
of flour, by either of the recipes 1210 or 1211; lay a border round the edge of the dish; put on the cover, and ornament the edges; bake in a brisk oven from 1/2 hour to 40 minutes; strew finely-sifted sugar over, and serve hot or cold, although the latter is the more usual mode. It is more economical to make two or three tarts at one time, as the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs from one tart answer for lining the edges of the dish for another, and so much paste is not required as when they are made singly. Unless for family use, never make fruit pies in very _large_ dishes; select them, however, as deep as possible.
_Time_.--1/2 hour to 40 minutes.
_Average cost_, in full season, 8d.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.