Boil a quart of rich milk. While it is boiling, take a small loaf
of baker's bread, such as is sold for five or six cents. It may be
either fresh or stale. Pare off all the crust, and cut up the
crumb into very small pieces. You should have baker's bread if you
can procure it, as home-made bread may not make the pudding light
enough. Put the bread into a pan; and when the milk boils, pour it
scalding hot over the bread. Cover the pan closely, and let it
steep in the hot steam for about three quarters of an hour. Then
remove the cover, and allow the bread and milk to cool. In the
mean time, beat four eggs till they are thick and smooth. Then
beat into them a table-spoonful and a half of fine wheat flour.
Next beat the egg and flour into the bread and milk, and continue
to beat hard till the mixture is as light as possible; for on this
the success of the pudding chiefly depends.
Have ready over the fire a pot of boiling water. Dip your pudding-cloth
into it, and shake it out. Spread out the cloth in a deep
dish or pan, and dredge it well with flour. Pour in the mixture,
and tie up the cloth, leaving room for it to swell. Tie the string
firmly and plaster up the opening (if there is any) with flour
moistened with water. If any water gets into it the pudding will
be spoiled.
See that the water boils when you put in the pudding, and keep it
boiling hard. If the pot wants replenishing, do it with boiling
water from a kettle. Should you put in cold water to supply the
place of that which has boiled away, the pudding will chill, and
become hard and heavy. Boil it an hour and a half.
Turn it out of the bag the minute before you send it to table. Eat
it with wine sauce, or with sugar and butter, or molasses.
It will be much improved by adding to the mixture half a pound of
whole raisins, well floured to prevent their sinking. Sultana
raisins are best, as they have no seeds.
If these directions are exactly followed, this will be found a
remarkably good and wholesome plain pudding.
For all boiled puddings, a square pudding-cloth which can be
opened out, is much better than a bag. It should be very thick.