MRS BEETON'S TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS PUDDING RECIPES
In response to popular demand, after posting Mrs Beeton's Christmas Cake Recipe , I have decided to post Mrs Beeton's traditional Christmas pudding recipes.
Mrs Beeton was born as Isabella Mary Mayson on 12 March 1836 in London. She was the eldest of 21 children !
At the age of 25 she wrote what was to become the most famous cookbook in the world at the time, which she called “Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management” nowadays known as “Mrs Beeton’s Cookbook”.
Although she is known throughout the world her career was very short-lived, as she died, following a short illness, at the age of 28.
She was very much an entrepreneur and if she were alive today I'm sure she would have been quite at home with the Internet, as she quite often 'borrowed' her recipes from other people.
Two of her traditional Christmas pudding recipes follow, for further cake, pudding and sauce recipes by Mrs Beeton and for details of her remarkable short life see Mrs Beeton's Cake and Pudding Recipes or the foot of this page. For her excellent Christmas Cake recipe see - Mrs Beeton's Christmas Cake Recipe. Thank you and Merry Christmas !
Mrs Beeton's Christmas Pudding Recipe (in her own words)
CHRISTMAS PLUM-PUDDING.
(Very Good)
1328. INGREDIENTS.--1-½ lb. of raisins, ½ lb. of currants, ½ lb. of mixed peel, ¾ lb. of bread crumbs, ¾ lb. of suet, 8 eggs, 1 wineglassful of brandy.
Mode.--Stone and cut the raisins in halves, but do not chop them; wash, pick, and dry the currants, and mince the suet finely; cut the candied peel into thin slices, and grate down the bread into fine crumbs. When all these dry ingredients are prepared, mix them well together; then moisten the mixture with the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the brandy; stir well, that everything may be very thoroughly blended, and press the pudding into a buttered mould; tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, and boil for 5 or 6 hours. It may be boiled in a cloth without a mould, and will require the same time allowed for cooking. As Christmas puddings are usually made a few days before they are required for table, when the pudding is taken out of the pot, hang it up immediately, and put a plate or saucer underneath to catch the water that may drain from it. The day it is to be eaten, plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling for at least 2 hours; then turn it out of the mould, and serve with brandy-sauce. On Christmas-day a sprig of holly is usually placed in the middle of the pudding, and about a wineglassful of brandy poured round it, which, at the moment of serving, is lighted, and the pudding thus brought to table encircled in flame.
Time.--5 or 6 hours the first time of boiling; 2 hours the day it is to be served.
Average cost, 4s. (20p about 40 cents)
Sufficient for a quart mould for 7 or 8 persons.
Note.--Five or six of these puddings should be made at one time, as they will keep good for many weeks, and in cases where unexpected guests arrive, will be found an acceptable, and, as it only requires warming through, a quickly-prepared dish. Moulds of every shape and size are manufactured for these puddings, and may be purchased of Messrs. R. & J. Slack, 336, Strand. (They may have moved since - Ed.)
A PLAIN CHRISTMAS PUDDING FOR CHILDREN.
1327. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of flour, 1 lb. of bread crumbs, ¾ lb. of stoned raisins, ¾ lb. of currants, ¾ lb. of suet, 3 or 4 eggs, milk, 2 oz. of candied peel, 1 teaspoonful of powdered allspice, ½ saltspoonful of salt.
Mode.--Let the suet be finely chopped, the raisins stoned, and the currants well washed, picked, and dried. Mix these with the other dry ingredients, and stir all well together; beat and strain the eggs to the pudding, stir these in, and add just sufficient milk to make it mix properly. Tie it up in a well-floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil for at least 5 hours. Serve with a sprig of holly placed in the middle of the pudding, and a little pounded sugar sprinkled over it.
Time.--5 hours. Average cost, 1s. 9d. (about 9p or 20 cents)
Sufficient for 9 or 10 children.
To try out the rest of Mrs Beeton's traditional Pudding and Cake recipes, including such delights as 'Almond Cheesecakes', 'Paradise Pudding', 'Vermicelli Pudding', and 'Vicarage Pudding', plus a whole range of brandy and other sauces I heartily recommend that you download an illustrated 121 page e-book of all her Cake and Pudding Recipes with a short introduction and a preface by the great lady herself, (cost $2.50) from - Mrs Beeton's Cake and Pudding Recipes
For a bilingual children's book in French and English see Jeannette Ward Bilingual Children's Books
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