Grate the crumb of a twelve cent loaf of bread, and boil a quart
of rich milk with a small bunch of peach leaves in it, then strain
it and set it out to cool. Pick, wash and dry a pound of currants,
and stone and cut in half a pound of raisins; strew over them
three large table-spoonfuls of flour. Roll fine a pound of brown
sugar, and mince as fine as possible three quarters of a pound of
beef suet. Prepare two beaten nutmegs, and a large table-spoonful
of powdered mace and cinnamon; also the grated peel and the juice
of two large lemons or oranges. Beat ten eggs very light, and
(when it is cold) stir them gradually into the milk, alternately
with the suet and grated bread.
Add, by degrees, the sugar, fruit, and spice, with a large glass
of brandy, and one of white wine. Mix the whole very well, and
stir it hard. Then put it into a thick cloth that has been scalded
and floured; leave room for it to swell, and tie it very firmly,
pasting the tying-place with a small lump of moistened flour. Put
the pudding into a large pot of boiling water, and boil it
steadily five hours, replenishing the pot occasionally from a
boiling kettle. Turn the pudding frequently in the pot. Prepare
half a pound of citron cut in slips, and half a pound of almonds
blanched and split in half lengthways. Stick the almonds and the
citron all over the outside of the pudding as soon as you take it
out of the cloth. Send it to table hot, and eat it with wine
sauce, or with cold wine and sugar.
If there is enough of the pudding left, it may be cut in slices,
and fried in butter next day.
All the ingredients of this plum pudding (except the eggs) should
be prepared the day before, otherwise it cannot be made in time to
allow of its being sufficiently boiled.
We have known of a very rich plum pudding being mixed in England
and sent to America in a covered bowl; it arrived perfectly good
after a month's voyage, the season being winter.