The encyclopædia of practical cookery

a basin, and mix in 2 table-spoonfuls of flour made into a thin batter with milk ; add also £ wineglassful of brandy and stir this into the dry mixture. The ingredients should be added in the order given, and each well worked in before another one is added. Put the pudding into a buttered basin, secure it with a floured cloth tied tightly over, put it in a saucepan of water, and boil (or it may be placed on a trivet in the saucepan and steamed) for four hours. Turn it out on to a dish, pour over wine sauce, and serve. (6) Stone 1lb. of raisins, put them into a bowl, pour over them 1 wineglassful of brandy, and let them stand while the rest of the ingredients are being prepared ; pick over 1lb. of currants, wash them thoroughly in plenty of cold water, rub them dry on a towel, and then toss in a sieve with a little flour to separate the stems from them ; free 1lb. of beef-suet from skin, and chop it fine, with 4 table-spoonfuls of flour ; cut into thin slices 2oz. of citron and loz. each of candied lemon- and orangepeel ; grate the yellow rind and squeeze the juice of one orange and one lemon ; pour boiling water on 4oz. of shelled almonds, let them remain in it until the skins become moist, then rub these off the nuts with a clean dry towel, and cut each nut into three or four slices ; grate one nutmeg, sift it into 1lb. of sugar, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt, and crumb 1lb. of dry bread from the inside of a stale loaf. Mix together all these ingredients with the hands, adding to them eight eggs, 1 wineglassful each of brandy and sherry, and just enough cream or rich milk to slightly moisten the pudding. Butter and flour a tin pudding-mould, shaking out all superfluous flour, fill the mould to within lin. of the top, lay a round of buttered white paper over the pudding, cover the mould so tightly that no water can penetrate while it is boiling, and fasten the cover securely ; then set it in sufficient boiling water to reach two-thirds up the side, and boil steadily for ten hours, replenishing the water as it boils away. The mould must be perfectly water-tight, or the pudding will be spoilt. The mould must not be opened until the pudding is about to be served. Plum puddings made in this way will keep for a long time in a cool, dry place. Before using them the mould must be placed in boiling water and boiled for two hours. Serve the pudding hot, turned from the mould upon a hot dish ; just before sending it to table pour over a wineglassful of rum or brandy, set fire to the spirits, and send the pudding to the table blazing (see Fig. 469). Serve with rum or brandy sauce.