Here is a recipe for an obscure and worthwhile 1905 treat, “Mother Eve’s Pudding” from a British Women’s Cookery Book in my collection. This recipe was submitted by “Miss Orkney from Bervie.” (I found an earlier recipe in poetry form online.) I made this last year and cut the recipe in half, as follows, for a smaller pudding:
Ingredients
2 large eggs
3 oz bread crumbs ground fine (I used ground gluten-free crackers )
3 oz currants
3 medium apples
2.5 oz sugar (I used brown)
Nutmeg (I used 1/2 tsp)
Directions
Miss Orkney instructed: Put the bread crumbs in a bowl, add the apples peeled and chopped, then the currants, sugar and nutmeg. Add the eggs well beaten, mix well, pour in buttered mould and boil slowly for three hours.
I set the heat on medium and turned it down when it came to a boil. I left it to a slow boil for three hours, checking the water level from time to time.
What kind of transformation would take place?! It’s not like I could take a peek inside the bowl. I’ve followed many vintage recipes before and oftentimes I was very pleasantly surprised with the end result. Other times, not. Finally I was able to see what three hours of steaming would do.
You see that? A hot mess! How disappointing!
But wait! I decided to keep an open mind and continued to trust Miss Orkney. I let the hot mess cool and gently ran a rubber spatula around the edges before flipping it upside down over a serving plate. I lifted the bowl…
Wow!!! A legit pudding!!! No one needed to know about the ugly underbelly of pudding production (except all of you!)
I try to minimize vintage cookery drama in the kitchen but I was high-fiving Mrs. O in the sky, and ran over to Wayne with my creation. “I did it! I did it!”
It was moist, delicately sweet and delicious. We really liked it with vanilla bean ice cream. I may try it with warm maple syrup next, and yes there will be a next time! This little pudding makes eight servings.
Have you ever had or made a steamed pudding?
No and no. Have just heard about it on tv. I wonder why they call it pudding, though?
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