The ingredients for pudding are generally better for being mixed some time before they are wanted. A batter pudding is better for standing a while. When you make a batter pudding, first mix the flour well with milk, and stir in the other ingredients by degrees ; it will then be smooth and quite free from lumps. Another good way is to strain it through a coarse hair sieve. The Cloth Used. — A thick cloth is best for boiling large puddings. Canton flannel, with the nap side out, is excellent, although some cooks use muslin. Dip the cloth into boiling water before putting in the pudding, then wring it, spread it over a basin, and dredge it evenly and thickly with flour; then put in the pudding, gather up the corners of the cloth, and tie them. If it is a bread pudding, tie it loose; if a batter pudding, tie it nearly close; fruit puddings should be tied quite close. As soon as possible after it is taken off of the pudding the cloth should be soaked in water, and then well washed, without soap unless it is very greasy. Then dry it well, fold it up, and keep in a dry place. It is perhaps needless to state that there should be no holes in the cloth. 315 316 PUDDINGS AND DUMPLINGS TO BOIL PUDDINGS.— The correct method is to put them at first into hoiling water, and it should be kc^d boiling until they are done. Never keep them simmering in moderately hot water, as act- ive hoiling is what they need. The principle is the same as described for cooking vegetables. Always beat up the pudding just before pouring it into the cloth. Keep the pudding covered with water, and if it boils away pour in more water which is hoiling. Move puddings occasionally, to keep them from sticking to the kettlp. An inverted plate or saucer in the bottom of the kettle will save the pudding from burning or sticking to the bottom. When the pud- ding is done, lift it out and dij) it at once in cold water, let it stand to cool a minute, and the cloth will not adhere to it, nor will it break; untie the cloth and turn it away from the pudding, place a hot dish on top of it, and turn the j)udding into it. If boiled in molds, treat the same way. Serve immediately, for if a pudding is allowed to stand, it will darken, fall, and be ruined. When preferred, the pudding may be boiled in a Ijasin, but first grease the basin or mold well, and after putting in the pudding, tie a floured cloth over it. Time to Boil. — There is an old saying that puddings cannot be too well boiled; and certainly there is more danger of boiling them too short than too long a time. They need to boil from 2 to 4 hours usually. STEAMING — As a rule puddings will be lighter and better if they are steamed rather than baked or boiled. Put them into a well greased tin pan or earthen dish, dredge a thick cloth with flour, tie it on top, set the dish in the steamer and cover it closely. Put the steamer over hoiling water, which should be hept boiling, and during the whole process of steaming do not remove the cover. Time to Steam. — It takes a little longer to steam than to boil a pudding, and the steaming should be thorough. It will take from 2 to 4^ hours to steam puddings w^ell.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The ingredients for pudding are generally better for being mixed some time before they are wanted. A batter pudding is better for standing a while. When you make a batter pudding, first mix the flour well with milk, and stir in the other ingredients by degrees ; it will then be smooth and quite free from lumps. Another good way is to strain it through a coarse hair sieve. The Cloth Used. — A thick cloth is best for boiling large puddings. Canton flannel, with the nap side out, is excellent, although some cooks use muslin. Dip the cloth into boiling water before putting in the pudding, then wring it, spread it over a basin, and dredge it evenly and thickly with flour; then put in the pudding, gather up the corners of the cloth, and tie them. If it is a bread pudding, tie it loose; if a batter pudding, tie it nearly close; fruit puddings should be tied quite close. As soon as possible after it is taken off of the pudding the cloth should be soaked in water, and then well washed, without soap unless it is very greasy. Then dry it well, fold it up, and keep in a dry place. It is perhaps needless to state that there should be no holes in the cloth. 316 PUDDINGS AND DUMPLINGS TO BOIL PUDDINGS.— The correct method is to put them at first into hoiling water, and it should be kept boiling until they are done. Never keep them simmering in moderately hot water, as active hoiling is what they need. The principle is the same as described for cooking vegetables. Always beat up the pudding just before pouring it into the cloth. Keep the pudding covered with water, and if it boils away pour in more water which is hoiling. Move puddings occasionally, to keep them from sticking to the kettle. An inverted plate or saucer in the bottom of the kettle will save the pudding from burning or sticking to the bottom. When the pudding is done, lift it out and dij) it at once in cold water, let it stand to cool a minute, and the cloth will not adhere to it, nor will it break; untie the cloth and turn it away from the pudding, place a hot dish on top of it, and turn the pudding into it. If boiled in molds, treat the same way. Serve immediately, for if a pudding is allowed to stand, it will darken, fall, and be ruined. When preferred, the pudding may be boiled in a basin, but first grease the basin or mold well, and after putting in the pudding, tie a floured cloth over it. Time to Boil. — There is an old saying that puddings cannot be too well boiled; and certainly there is more danger of boiling them too short than too long a time. They need to boil from 2 to 4 hours usually. STEAMING — As a rule puddings will be lighter and better if they are steamed rather than baked or boiled. Put them into a well greased tin pan or earthen dish, dredge a thick cloth with flour, tie it on top, set the dish in the steamer and cover it closely. Put the steamer over hoiling water, which should be kept boiling, and during the whole process of steaming do not remove the cover. Time to Steam. — It takes a little longer to steam than to boil a pudding, and the steaming should be thorough. It will take from 2 to 4^ hours to steam puddings well.

The household cook book