Practical household cookery

Wash half a pound of Italian rice, and boil it for fifteen minutes in a stewpan with a pint and a half of good milk, a quarter of a pound of pounded sugar, a pinch of salt, and a small stick of vanilla or any other flavouring, after which draw the stewpan from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs well beaten, mix the lot well together, and pour it into a pie-dish previously buttered ; bake in a well-heated oven for twenty minutes, and serve. 826. PLUM PUDDING. Put in a large basin three-quarters of a pound each of picked and finely-chopped beef suet, stoned raisins, wellwashed and picked currants, moist sugar, bread crumbs, peeled russet apples, with the cores removed and cut in small dice, and a quarter of a pound each of candied citron, orange, and lemon, all cut in small dice. Mix these thoroughly with three pounded cloves, a good pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, a gill of sherry, half a gill of brandy, and four eggs, one at a time. When the lot has been well worked together with the hands, it should remain in a cool place for at least six hours before setting the pudding to boil. I advise the mixture to be made the day before the pudding is required. Then a pudding basin must be buttered and filled with the mixture. Fasten a strong doth over the top (previously spread with butter or flour) by bringing the four ends round the bottom of the basin, where they must be tied securely. Meanwhile have a stock-pot, with about six quarts or more of boiling water, ready on the stove ; place a strong stick or iron bar across the pot, hang the pudding to it with strings to prevent the basin touching the bottom of the pot, and let it boil for at least six hours, (if more all the better), taking care to replenish the pot with boiling water when wanted. When done, turn the pudding out of the mould on to a hot dish, sprinkle it with pounded sugar, pour half a pint of warm brandy or rum over it before serving, and light with a match when the pudding is on the table Note. — The following sauce is a very good substitute for rum or brandy : — Put the yolks of four eggs into a stewpan with two ounces of pounded sugar, a gill of sherry or any other white wine, the peel of half a lemon rubbed on sugar, and a small pinch of salt. Whisk this sharply over a slow fire until it assumes a frothy appearance, then pour it over the pudding. 827, ROLEY-POLEY PUDDING. Pick and chop very fine one pound of beef suet, put it in a basin with one pound of flour and a good pinch of salt, mix these to a stiffish paste with about three gills of cold water, then roll it out to a quarter of an inch thick and of an oblong shape; spread any kind of jam on the paste, and roll this round to the form of a long roll. Roll the pudding afterwards in a buttered cloth, tie both ends up tightly with string, and tie it with string lengthways, to keep it in shape ; then drop it in plenty of boiling water, and let it boil for about an hour and a half. When done, turn the pudding carefully out of the doth, put it on a hot dish, and serve. 828. GOOSEBERRY PUDDING. Make half a pound of suet paste as described in the previous number, line a pudding-basin with it, and £11 it up with picked gooseberries ; spread a layer of moist or brown sugar over the fruit, cover this with a round of paste, and tie a cloth tightly over the top, then set it in a stewpan full of boiling water to boil for an hour and a quarter; when done, remove the cloth, turn the pudding out of the basin on to a hot dish, spread some brown sugar over, and serve. Note, — Currant and raspberry pudding, cherry, apricot, greengage, damson, and black currant puddings, are all made in the same way. 829. APPLE PUDDING.