Pudding and dumpling cloths should not only je laid into plenty
of water as soon as they are taken off, and well washed afterwards,
but it is essential to their perfect sweetness that they should be well
and quickly dried (in the open air if possible), then folded and kept
in a clean drawer.
TO CLEAN CURRANTS FOR PUDDINGS OR CAKES.
Put them into a cullender, strew a handful of flour over them, and
rub them gently with the hands to separate the lumps, and to detach
the stalks ; work them round in the cullender, and shake it well,
when the small stalks and stones will fall through it. Next pour
plenty of cold water over the currants, drain and spread them on a
soft cloth, press it over them to absorb the moisture, and then lay
them on a clean oven- tin, or a large dish, and dry them very
gradually (or they will become hard), either in a cool oven or before
the fire, taking care in the latter case that they are not placed
sufficiently near it for the ashes to fall amongst them. When they
are perfectly dry, clear them entirely from the remaining stalks, and
from every stone that may be amongst them. The best mode of de-
tecting these is to lay the fruit at the far end of a large white dish, or
sheet of paper, and to pass it lightly, and in very small portions,
with the fingers, towards oneself, examining it closely as this is
done.
TO STEAM A PUDDING IN A COMMON STEWPAN OR SAUCEPAN.
Butter and fill the mould or basin as usual ; tie over it, first, a
well -buttered paper, and then a thin floured cloth or muslin, which
should be quite small ; gather up and tie the corners, and be careful
that no part of it, or of the paper, reaches to the water ; pour in from
two to three inches depth of this, according to the height of the
mould, and when it boils put in the pudding, and press the cover
of the stewpan closely on ; then boil it gently without ceasing until it
is done. This is the safer method of boiling all puddings made witn
polenta, or with the American flour of maize; as well as many others
of the custard kind, which are easily spoiled by the admission of
water to them. As the evaporation diminishes that in the saucepan,
more, ready- boiling, must be added if necessary ; and be poured
carefully down the side of the pan without touching the pudding.
TO MIX BATTER FOR PUDDINGS.
Put the flour and salt into a bowl, and stir them together ; whisk
the eggs thoroughly, strain them through a fine hair-sieve, and add
them very gradually to the flour ; for if too much liquid be poured to
it at once it will be full of lumps, and it is easy with care to keep the
898
MODERN COOKERY.
[chap. XX.
Page 354
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Pudding and dumpling cloths should not only be laid into plenty of water as soon as they are taken off, and well washed afterwards, but it is essential to their perfect sweetness that they should be well and quickly dried (in the open air if possible), then folded and kept in a clean drawer.
TO CLEAN CURRANTS FOR PUDDINGS OR CAKES.
Put them into a cullender, strew a handful of flour over them, and rub them gently with the hands to separate the lumps, and to detach the stalks ; work them round in the cullender, and shake it well, when the small stalks and stones will fall through it. Next pour plenty of cold water over the currants, drain and spread them on a soft cloth, press it over them to absorb the moisture, and then lay them on a clean oven- tin, or a large dish, and dry them very gradually (or they will become hard), either in a cool oven or before the fire, taking care in the latter case that they are not placed sufficiently near it for the ashes to fall amongst them. When they are perfectly dry, clear them entirely from the remaining stalks, and from every stone that may be amongst them. The best mode of detecting these is to lay the fruit at the far end of a large white dish, or sheet of paper, and to pass it lightly, and in very small portions, with the fingers, towards oneself, examining it closely as this is done.
TO STEAM A PUDDING IN A COMMON STEWPAN OR SAUCEPAN.
Butter and fill the mould or basin as usual ; tie over it, first, a well-buttered paper, and then a thin floured cloth or muslin, which should be quite small ; gather up and tie the corners, and be careful that no part of it, or of the paper, reaches to the water ; pour in from two to three inches depth of this, according to the height of the mould, and when it boils put in the pudding, and press the cover of the stewpan closely on ; then boil it gently without ceasing until it is done. This is the safer method of boiling all puddings made witn polenta, or with the American flour of maize; as well as many others of the custard kind, which are easily spoiled by the admission of water to them. As the evaporation diminishes that in the saucepan, more, ready- boiling, must be added if necessary ; and be poured carefully down the side of the pan without touching the pudding.
TO MIX BATTER FOR PUDDINGS.
Put the flour and salt into a bowl, and stir them together ; whisk the eggs thoroughly, strain them through a fine hair-sieve, and add them very gradually to the flour ; for if too much liquid be poured to it at once it will be full of lumps, and it is easy with care to keep the
[chap. XX.