FoodNetArchive

Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

1898

Page 332 · 2 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
If the basin has no rim tie the string* tightly round it about half-way up, and woi’k it up as far as it will go, pulling down the cloth all round under the string as you do so. Many people consider that a Pudding boiled in a cloth is lighter than one boiled in a basin. Scald out the cloth, flour it lightly so as to prevent the Pudding from sticking to it, but do not use too much flour or it will give a flavour of paste. Form the Pudding into a ball, put it into the centre of the cloth, and tie it up veiy securely. A Plum Pudding, or any pudding with suet and fruit, requires more room to swell in the cloth than other Puddings. It is a good plan to put the Pudding on a plate as it boils, to prevent it fx*om sticking to the pan and burning. When a Pudding is turned out, whether from a basin or a cloth, it must be done slowly and gently. Take a strong fork and lift the Pudding out of the saucepan with it. Reverse the lid of the pan, and hold the Pudding on it, slanting, so that it may drain. Then, still using the fork, lift the Pudding on to a hot dish, untie the cloth, cut the string, and take the cloth gently off the Pudding. Hold the hot basin in a cloth, shake it gently to ascertain if the Pudding is free from it, reverse the basin upon the dish the Pudding is to be served in, and gently draAv away the basin. If all this is not carefully done the 4S0 PUDDINGS Pudding will he likely to break. If the Pudding has been boiled in a cloth cut the string, and draw the cloth slightly away from the sides of the Pudding, reverse it on the hot dish it is to be served on, and gently remove the cloth. Steamed Puddings.— Steaming is the best way of cooking most Puddings. Butter the mould thoroughly, fill it only two- thirds full with the Pudding mixture, and put a buttered paper over the top. Put the mould into a pan with boiling water reaching half-way up the sides of the mould, keep the lid of the pan on, and as the water evaporates replenish it from a boiling kettle. For Custard Puddings the mould should be set in the bain-marie, and the water kept to simmering point only. If the water is allowed to boil the Pudding will be tough, and very slow simmering is essential to the success of all Custard Puddings. Boiled Fruit Puddings.— These old-fashioned Puddings are excellent made with green apricots, green gooseberries, red or black currants, stoned morella cherries, stoned damsons, or apples, and the batter is much better than the suet paste often used. The time of boiling depends on the ripeness and texture of the fruit ; good cooking apples require an hour and a quarter. Stone fruit should have the stones removed, cracked, and the kernels added to the Pudding. Butter a pint and a half basin thickly, and fill it nearly to the top with fruit ; if apples are used pare, core, and quarter them. Pour over the top a batter made with four tablespoonfuls of flour, three eggs (if small, if large two will do), and half a pint of milk. The basin ought now to be quite full. Tie a buttered and floured cloth over it, and set it to boil. When done, turn the Pudding out on a hot dish, and sprinkle plenty of sugar over it, nsing either moist or castor sugar according to the kind of fruit. Never put in any sugar till the Pudding is quite done, or it will make the batter heavy. Custard Pudding