“Who riseth from a feast with that keen appetite that he sits down”

APPLE PUDDING

• 8 apples
• 16 cloves
• 1 lemon
• ½ pint (1 cup) water
• 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) cornstarch
• A few drops red coloring
• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• Marmalade
• Mince meat

Peel and core the apples; put into each apple two cloves and as much mince meat as it will hold. Place the apples, without touching each other, in a buttered fireproof dish; add the remaining sugar, the grated rind and strained juice of the lemon, and the water.

Bake in the oven, covering the casserole with its lid. Look at them frequently, and as soon as they are tender place them in dainty ramequins.

Stir into the liquor in the casserole the cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water; boil for ten minutes, stirring all the time; add the red coloring and strain it over the apples.

When quite cold garnish the tops of the apples with the marmalade.

• 3 pints (6 cups) apple sauce
• 3 tablespoonfuls melted butter
• Sugar to taste
• ½ teaspoonful nutmeg extract
• 1 tablespoonful rum
• 3 eggs
• Whipped and sweetened cream
• ½ teaspoonful vanilla extract
• 1 cupful macaroon crumbs

Peel and core some apples and stew till tender, having three pints of sauce. Rub the apples through a sieve, add the butter, sugar, nutmeg extract, rum, and the yolks of eggs well beaten. When the mixture is cool, add the whites of eggs stiffly beaten.

Butter an earthenware dish, turn the apple mixture into it, sprinkle with the crushed macaroons, and set in the oven to bake for half an hour. Serve hot with the whipped cream sweetened and flavored with the vanilla extract.

ARROWROOT PUDDING

• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) arrowroot
• 1 tablespoonful sugar
• ½ cupful currants
• ¾ pint (1½ cups) milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoonful rose extract

Mix the arrowroot to a smooth paste with three tablespoonfuls of the milk in a saucepan; boil the rest of the milk and pour it on to the arrowroot. Stir well and boil for five minutes.

Add the yolks of eggs, sugar, and rose extract mixed together. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth and stir them lightly into the mixture with the currants.

Pour into a buttered earthenware pudding dish, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes.

Dredge the top with sugar and serve quickly.

BAKED APPLES

• 3 large apples
• A little orange marmalade
• ½ cupful whipped cream
• A few chopped nut meats
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) sugar
• 1 gill (½ cup) water
• 1 teaspoonful lemon juice

Core the apples and place them on a fireproof baking dish. Mix the sugar, water, and lemon juice together, then pour them over the apples.

Bake until tender but not broken; fill the centers with the marmalade. Beat up the cream, add one teaspoonful of sugar to it, press it on to the top of the apples, using a forcing bag and tube.

Decorate with the chopped nuts.

BAKED QUINCES

• 6 quinces
• 4 ozs. (½ cup) sugar
• 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter
• 1¼ cupfuls water

Pare and core the quinces, place them in a deep buttered earthenware dish, and pour over them one cupful of the water. Cover and bake in the oven until they soften a little.

Beat the butter and sugar together, spread them over the quinces, and add the rest of the water.

Bake until they are very soft. They should be basted often with the liquid in the dish.

These quinces are very good if served hot with ice cream. They are also good if served cold with whipped and sweetened cream.

BANANAS À LA PATRICIA

• 6 bananas
• ¼ lb. (½ cup) sugar
• 1 saltspoonful salt
• 4 teaspoonfuls lemon juice
• 2 tablespoonfuls melted butter
• 4 tablespoonfuls water
• 3 egg whites

Mix the sugar and salt together; cut the bananas into halves, lengthways and crossways, and put a layer in an earthenware dish; sprinkle over half of the sugar, add two teaspoonfuls of the lemon juice and one tablespoonful of the melted butter, then another layer of the bananas, with the remainder of the sugar, lemon juice, butter, and water.

Bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes.

Beat up the whites of the eggs, then gradually beat into them three tablespoonfuls of sugar and a little lemon juice.

Put them on the top of the bananas and color slightly in the oven.

• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) “Patent” barley
• 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) sugar
• 1 tablespoonful butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoonful nutmeg extract

Put the barley and the sugar into a saucepan, add the butter, salt, and milk; mix thoroughly and stir it over the fire till it boils; then add the eggs well beaten, and the nutmeg extract.

Pour into a buttered fireproof dish and bake for a quarter of an hour in a moderate oven.

BREAD PUDDING

• ¾ cup (3 ozs.) bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoonfuls butter
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) sugar
• Few drops lemon juice
• ½ teaspoonful orange extract
• ½ pint (1 cup) milk
• 2 eggs

Put the sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan and boil to a caramel, then when cool pour in the milk and stand the mixture at the side of the stove until the sugar is dissolved, but do not let it boil; fry the bread crumbs in the butter until a golden brown, then pour on them the prepared milk, and beat into them the yolks of eggs, the orange extract, and the whites of eggs stiffly beaten.

Pour into a buttered fireproof dish and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour.

Serve with hot milk.

BROWN BETTY

• 6 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• ¼ lb. (1 heaping cup) bread crumbs
• 2 ozs. (½ cup) chopped suet
• 1 tablespoonful butter
• 3 ozs. (3 heaping tablespoonfuls) brown sugar
• ½ teaspoonful grated nutmeg

Stew the apples with one tablespoonful of the sugar and one tablespoonful of water till tender, then rub through a sieve. Chop the suet fine, mix it with the bread crumbs, grated nutmeg, and the rest of the sugar.

Grease a fireproof dish, put half of this mixture at the bottom, then put in a layer of the stewed apples, then the rest of the mixture; dot with the butter.

Bake for half an hour in a moderate oven.

CHESTNUT MOLD

• ¾ lb. chestnuts
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoonful powdered gelatine
• 1 gill (½ cup) boiling water
• 2 tablespoonfuls sherry wine
• ¼ lb. (½ cup) sugar
• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• Some whipped cream

Shell the chestnuts, boil and press through a sieve. Scald the milk in a fireproof dish, add the sugar, and the yolks of eggs, and cook until it thickens, stirring all the time. Then add the gelatine, boiling water, chestnut purÉe, sherry wine, and mix thoroughly.

Pour into dainty casseroles, chill, and serve garnished with the whipped cream.

CHERRY PUDDING

• Cherries fresh or preserved
• ¼ lb. (½ cup) butter
• ¼ lb. (½ cup) sugar
• ¼ lb. (1 cup) flour
• Lemon rind
• 3 eggs
• ½ pint (1 cup) whipped cream

Line a buttered earthenware dish thickly with fresh or preserved cherries. Beat the butter and sugar till creamy, then beat in the yolks of the eggs, then add the grated rind of half a lemon, the flour, and the whites of the eggs stiffly beaten.

Cover with a buttered paper and steam steadily for two hours. Serve with whipped and sweetened cream.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

• 3 squares chocolate
• ½ lb. (1 cup) sugar
• 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) cornstarch
• 3 eggs
• Pinch salt
• ¾ pint (1½ cups) milk
• ½ teaspoonful lemon extract
• ½ teaspoonful vanilla extract
• Some pie crust

Bake a pie crust in a fireproof pie-plate. Grate the chocolate into a casserole, stir in the sugar, cornstarch, yolks of eggs, salt, and milk. Cook till thick, stirring constantly; then add the extracts. Pour into the prepared crust, cover with a meringue made by beating up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and adding two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract to them.

Set in the oven to brown.

COCOANUT PIE

• ½ pint (1 cup) chopped cocoanut
• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• 2 eggs
• 6 ozs. (¾ cup) sugar
• 2 ozs. (2 heaping tablespoonfuls) cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter
• ½ teaspoonful almond extract
• 1 lemon

Line a fireproof dish with pastry. Mix the cornstarch and the sugar together, add the eggs well beaten, the milk, butter, cocoanut, salt, almond extract, and the grated rind and the strained juice of the lemon. Pour into the prepared dish and bake in a hot oven till firm.

COCOANUT PUDDING

• ½ pint (1 cup) desiccated cocoanut
• 1 quart (4 cups) milk
• ¼ teaspoonful salt
• 4 eggs
• 4 heaping tablespoonfuls (4 ozs.) sugar
• ½ teaspoonful almond extract

Beat up the eggs and add the other ingredients to them. Turn into a buttered fireproof dish and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour.

CREAM OF RICE PUDDING

• 4½ heaping tablespoonfuls (4½ ozs.) rice flour
• 1 heaping tablespoonful (½ oz.) powdered gelatine
• ½ pint (1 cup) whipping cream
• ½ teaspoonful vanilla extract
• 1½ pints (3 cups) hot milk
• 4 heaping tablespoonfuls (4 ozs.) sugar
• Grated rind 2 lemons
• 1½ gills (¾ cup) cold milk
• Some stewed fruit

Mix the hot milk, sugar, and lemon rind together, then bring slowly to the boiling point; stir in the gelatine and mix until dissolved. Stir in the rice flour mixed with the cold milk. Stir over the fire till it simmers for ten minutes.

Cool slightly and add the cream and the vanilla extract. Pour into a wet earthenware jelly mould. Turn out when set and serve with stewed fruit.

DATE PUDDING

• ½ lb. stoned dates
• 3 ozs. (? cup) rice
• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• 2 tablespoonfuls chopped suet
• 3 ozs. (3 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoonfuls chopped citron peel
• A little grated nutmeg

Wash the rice well, and put it into a casserole with the milk. Let it cook slowly, with the lid on, until all the milk is absorbed by the rice. Now add the chopped dates, chopped peel, chopped suet, sugar, and nutmeg, mix well, and add the eggs well beaten.

Pour into a buttered earthenware dish, cover with the lid, and steam steadily for one and a half hours.

DRIED APRICOTS

• 3 lbs. dried apricots
• Sugar to taste

Separate the fruit so that each piece will be single, then wash several times in lukewarm water. Pour the water off; put the rinsed fruit into a casserole; cover well with cold water, and let stand for at least twelve hours, keeping the pan covered all the time with the lid.

After the fruit has been thoroughly soaked and has regained its natural size, pour off this water saturated with fruit juice into another fireproof dish, add sugar according to taste (apricots will require a considerable quantity of sugar, peaches and apples less, prunes very little or none, and pears none at all), and cook from twenty to twenty-five minutes until you get a rich fruit syrup. Pour this boiling hot syrup over the soaked fruit. Put the casserole on back of the stove and let the fruit simmer very slowly for twenty to forty minutes, according to the quality of it. Now remove the casserole from the stove, keep the lid on the dish, and let it cool.

If cooked properly, the fruit when served must be clear, the syrup should be rich and clear, and each piece of fruit should look as if fresh fruit had been stewed.

The flavor of all the varieties of fruit is greatly improved by adding some lemon or orange peel, but especially is this true of pears and prunes.

CURRANT BATTER PUDDING

• ½ lb. (2 cups) flour
• 6 ozs. (6 heaping tablespoonfuls) cleaned currants
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoonful baking powder
• Pinch salt
• ½ pint (1 cup) milk
• 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract
• Golden syrup

Beat up the eggs, sift in the flour and the salt, add the milk, and beat for five minutes; then add the baking powder and the vanilla extract.

Pour into a well-greased casserole, sprinkle the currants over the top, and bake in a moderate oven for one hour.

Serve with golden syrup.

FARINA PUDDING

• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) farina
• 1 quart (4 cups) milk
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 3 ozs. (3 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• ¼ teaspoonful grated nutmeg
• 1 cupful Sultana raisins

Boil the milk in a fireproof dish, add the salt, and sugar, and stir in the farina; cook, stirring frequently, for one hour.

Cool and add the eggs well beaten, the grated nutmeg, and the Sultana raisins. Mix thoroughly and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour.

FIG PUDDING

• ½ lb. figs
• 2 pints (4 cups) milk
• 3 heaping tablespoonfuls (3 ozs.) cornstarch
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ teaspoonful lemon extract

Wash the figs, cut them into small pieces, then put them into a buttered casserole. Put the cornstarch into a saucepan and moisten it with half a cupful of the milk. Bring the rest of the milk to the boiling point, pour it over the cornstarch, and stir till it boils for ten minutes. Add the sugar, lemon extract, and the eggs well beaten.

Pour over the figs and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. Serve with milk or cream.

FRENCH PUDDING

• Some apricot jam
• Lady fingers
• Fruit juice
• Pastry
• 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) flour
• 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) sugar
• 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter
• 1 gill (½ cup) cold milk
• ½ pint (1 cup) boiling milk
• Grated rind 1 lemon
• 3 eggs
• 1 pint (2 cups) whipped cream
• A few chopped nut meats

Butter a casserole and line it with the pastry, wetting the edges to keep it in place; put a layer of apricot jam at the bottom, then a thick layer of lady fingers which have been dipped in fruit juice.

Mix the flour and sugar in a saucepan, stir in the cold milk, add the butter and the boiling milk; stir over the fire till it thickens; let it cool a little, then add the lemon rind and the eggs well beaten. Bake in a moderate oven for half an hour.

Sweeten the whipped cream and put it on the top of the pudding through a forcing bag and tube.

Decorate with the chopped nuts.

FRUIT PUDDING

• 2½ lbs. any kind fresh fruit—gooseberries, currants, peaches, plums, pears, apples, raspberries, cherries, apricots, rhubarb, etc.
• 2 pints (4 cups) milk
• 1 tablespoonful butter
• 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoonful lemon extract
• Pinch salt
• Sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 heaping tablespoonfuls (3 ozs.) cornstarch

Stew the fruit, with sufficient sugar to sweeten, in a casserole. Mix the cornstarch to a smooth consistency with a little of the milk. Bring the rest of the milk to the boil, stir into it the mixed cornstarch, add the butter, salt, extracts, and two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar. Boil for a quarter of an hour, stirring all the time, remove from the fire, and add the eggs well beaten.

Pour the hot mixture over the stewed fruit, then brown in a moderate oven. This makes a delicious covering.

GINGER PUDDING

• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) preserved ginger
• 4 heaping tablespoonfuls chopped suet
• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• 2 tablespoonfuls ginger syrup
• Pinch salt
• ¼ teaspoonful grated nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 1 heaping teaspoonful baking powder
• ¾ pint (1½ cups) milk
• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) flour
• 4 ozs. (1 cup) bread crumbs or cake crumbs
• Ginger sauce

Chop the ginger and the suet and put them into a basin; then add the eggs well beaten and all the other ingredients. Mix together thoroughly, pour into a well-buttered casserole, cover with the lid or a buttered paper, and steam for two and a half hours.

Serve with ginger sauce.

The sauce may be made as follows: Beat up the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, add half a cupful of whipped cream, one tablespoonful of finely chopped ginger, and enough of the syrup to give it a strong flavor.

• Some stewed green-gages
• ½ lb. (2 cups) flour
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder
• ½ teaspoonful salt
• Some milk
• ½ teaspoonful lemon extract

Sift the flour into a basin with the baking powder and the salt, beat up the egg, and add a little milk to it, then add them gradually with the lemon extract to the dry ingredients, making a stiff batter. Put half a tablespoonful of this batter into buttered earthenware cups, then put in some stewed green-gages; put a tablespoonful of the batter on the top and cover with a buttered paper. Steam steadily for twenty minutes.

These puffs may be baked in the oven. Any kind of stewed or fresh fruit may be used.

MONTE CARLO CHERRIES

• ½ lb. large ripe cherries
• ¼ lb. lump sugar
• 1 gill (¼ pint) water
• 1 dessertspoonful arrowroot
• Some Kirsch

Stone the cherries, put them into a saucepan with the sugar and the water. Let them boil gently for ten minutes. Blend the arrowroot with two tablespoonfuls of cold water and stir it among the cherries.

Divide the cherries into small casseroles, pour a liqueur-glassful of Kirsch on the top of each, and set alight.

Send to the table burning.

• 3 oranges
• 4 eggs
• ½ pint (1 cup) milk
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter
• ½ pint (1 cup) bread crumbs
• 3 heaping tablespoonfuls (3 ozs.) sugar

Bring the milk and the butter to boiling point, then pour them over the bread crumbs; mix in the sugar and the yolks of the eggs; set aside till cold, then mix in the grated rind and the pulp of the oranges, mix all thoroughly together, and pour into a buttered earthenware pudding dish; bake in a moderate oven until set.

Beat up the whites of the eggs till stiff, then gradually beat into them three tablespoonfuls of sugar. Decorate the top of the pudding with this meringue, and return to the oven to brown.

PARISIAN PEARS

• 6 juicy pears
• ½ cupful macaroon crumbs
• 2 tablespoonfuls cream
• 1 tablespoonful sherry wine
• 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract
• 6 rings of angelica
• 6 candied violets
• 2 cupfuls steamed rice

Peel the pears and stew them in a little sugar syrup flavored with vanilla. Take them out when tender, cut them in halves, and remove the centers.

Mix the macaroon crumbs with the cream and the sherry wine, and divide them into the pear cavities. Cook the rice in milk till tender and flavor it with a little vanilla extract. Line some flange ramequins with it. Put the pear halves together and mount them, pyramid shape, on the rice.

Crown each pear with a ring of angelica, and in the center of each ring put a candied violet.

PEACH SOUFFLÉ

• 6 ripe peaches
• 4 heaping tablespoonfuls (4 ozs.) sugar
• ½ pint (1 cup) water
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) flour
• 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter
• ¼ pint (½ cup) milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg white

Peel the peaches, put them into a casserole with the sugar and the water; cook till tender; then rub through a sieve.

Blend the butter and flour in a saucepan over the fire, add the milk gradually, and stir over the fire till it boils; then add the peach purÉe and boil again for three minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the fire; add the yolks of eggs one by one; then the whites of eggs beaten up stiffly.

Put into a buttered earthenware dish and bake for half an hour.

It may be steamed for three-quarters of an hour.

PEAR DAINTY

• 1 can preserved pears
• 5 ozs. (5 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• 2 pints (4 cups) milk
• 3 ozs. (3 heaping tablespoonfuls) cornstarch
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoonful rose extract

Mix the cornstarch to a smooth cream with a little of the milk. Bring the rest of the milk to the boil in a fireproof dish, remove from the fire, and stir in the mixed cornstarch.

Beat up the yolks of the eggs with three tablespoonfuls of the sugar, and stir well into the cornstarch. Cook the whole for a quarter of an hour, stirring all the time.

Then pour the whole into a buttered casserole, and bake in a moderate oven till firm. Pour over it the pears and add the rose extract.

Beat up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add the remaining sugar to them.

Spread this meringue over the top of the pears, and return to the oven to brown.

PLUM PUDDING

• ¼ lb. (1 cup) bread crumbs
• 4 ozs. (1 cup) flour
• 4 ozs. (1 cup) brown sugar
• 1 cupful chopped suet
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoonful baking powder
• ½ teaspoonful salt
• 4 eggs
• Milk to moisten
• 1 cupful chopped citron peel
• ½ cupful blanched, chopped almonds
• ½ pint (1 cup) Sultana raisins
• ½ pint (1 cup) currants
• ½ pint (1 cup) seeded raisins
• 1 teaspoonful powdered allspice
• ½ teaspoonful grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoonful powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoonful powdered cinnamon
• 1 wineglassful brandy

Beat up the eggs, add the strained juice of the lemon and all the other ingredients, turn into a well-buttered casserole, cover, and steam steadily for five hours.

Serve with hard sauce.

PRUNE AND APPLE TART

• ½ lb. stoned prunes
• 1 lemon
• 3 lbs. apples
• ½ lb. (1 cup) sugar
• Pastry
• 1 egg

Wash and stone the prunes; peel, core, and slice the apples. Put them into a casserole, sprinkle in the sugar and the grated rind of the lemon.

Cover neatly with pastry, brush over the top with beaten egg, and bake in a hot oven for about three-quarters of an hour.

Sprinkle over with sugar and serve hot or cold.

PRUNE PUDDING

• ½ lb. prunes
• ½ lemon
• 1 tablespoonful cornstarch
• ½ pint (1 cup) milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) sugar
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) currants
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 wineglassful port wine

Wash the prunes and stew them gently with sufficient water to cover, adding also the sugar, cinnamon, lemon rind, and strained juice. When tender, remove the cinnamon and lemon rind; stone the prunes and rub them through a sieve. Crack half of the stones and chop the kernels, add them to the prune pulp, and allow to cool a little.

Clean the currants and soak them in the wine. Mix them with the cornstarch and add them to the prune mixture, with the yolks of eggs and the whites stiffly beaten. Pour into a buttered earthenware dish, dredge with sugar, and bake for half an hour in a fairly hot oven. Serve hot.

PUMPKIN PIE

• ½ pint (1 cup) stewed pumpkin
• 4 heaping tablespoonfuls (4 ozs.) sugar
• ½ teaspoonful powdered ginger
• ½ teaspoonful powdered cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoonful grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoonful lemon extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoonful cornstarch
• ½ pint (1 cup) cream
• 2 tablespoonfuls melted butter

Line an earthenware pie-plate with pastry. Moisten the cornstarch with three tablespoonfuls of the cream. Bring the rest of the cream to boiling point, stir in the cornstarch, and continue stirring until thickened. Remove from the fire, add the eggs well beaten and all the other ingredients. Turn into the prepared pie-plate and bake in a moderate oven for about one hour.

RHUBARB MERINGUE

• 1 lb. pink rhubarb
• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoonfuls sugar

Wash the rhubarb and cut it into inch lengths; stew it with the sugar till tender; strain the juice into a basin, and rub the fruit through a sieve.

Reduce the juice to half a cupful, mix it with the fruit purÉe, add the yolks of the eggs well beaten and the grated rind of the lemon. Turn into a buttered fireproof dish and bake for half an hour.

Beat up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, then beat into them two tablespoonfuls of sugar; spread over the pudding, dust over with sugar, and return to the oven for ten minutes to set the meringue.

RICE PUDDING

• ½ lb. (1 heaping cup) rice
• 2 quarts (8 cups) milk
• ½ lb. (1 cup) sugar
• 1 teaspoonful salt
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter
• ¼ teaspoonful grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoonful rose extract

Wash the rice and soak it in one quart of the milk for one hour. Add the rest of the milk, the sugar, salt, butter, nutmeg, and rose extract. Turn into a buttered earthenware dish and bake slowly for two hours.

STEWED APRICOTS WITH CUSTARD

• 12 apricots
• 4 tablespoonfuls sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 pint (2 cups) cream
• 1 gill (¼ pint) rum
• A few slices sponge cake
• ½ pint (1 cup) hot water

Peel the apricots and cut them into halves, removing the stones. Put them into a casserole with two tablespoonfuls of the sugar and the water. Simmer till tender.

Put the sponge cake into an earthenware dish, lay the apricots on them. Beat up the eggs with the rest of the sugar, add the cream to them, then pour them into a double boiler. Stir over the fire till quite smooth, then add the rum.

Pour this over the apricots and serve hot.

STRAWBERRY BATTER PUDDING

• 1 pint strawberries
• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• 2 tablespoonfuls melted butter
• 1½ pints (3 cups) flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoonful baking powder
• ½ teaspoonful salt
• 1 teaspoonful strawberry extract
• Hard sauce

Add the milk gradually to the flour, add the eggs well beaten, salt, baking powder, and butter. Dredge the strawberries with flour, stir them into the batter, add the strawberry extract, and turn into a buttered earthenware dish. Cover and steam for three hours.

Serve with hard sauce.

STRAWBERRY CUSTARDS

• 5 eggs
• ½ lb. (1 cup) ripe strawberries or strawberry jam
• ½ lemon
• 1 teaspoonful strawberry extract
• 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• Few drops red coloring

Remove the green stalks from the strawberries, place the berries in a basin, beat until quite liquid, then add the yolks of the eggs well beaten, sugar, strained lemon juice, and strawberry extract.

Pour the mixture into a fireproof dish, stand it in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir it over the fire till it thickens: it must not boil. Allow to get cold then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, stir lightly till all is well mixed.

Pour into earthenware custard cups, and serve cold decorated with a ripe strawberry on the top of each custard.

VANILLA CUSTARD

• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• 4 eggs
• 4 heaping tablespoonfuls (4 ozs.) sugar
• 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract

Beat the eggs and the sugar together, then add the milk and the vanilla extract. Divide the mixture into buttered earthenware custard cups, cover with buttered papers, and steam gently for half an hour.

VERMICELLI PUDDING

• ¼ lb. vermicelli
• 1 pint (2 cups) boiling milk
• 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter
• 2 ozs. (2 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar
• 2 tablespoonfuls finely chopped blanched almonds
• 3 eggs
• Grated rind 1 lemon
• ¼ teaspoonful grated nutmeg

Crush the vermicelli in the hand till it is in quite short pieces. Put it into the boiling milk, then add the butter, and stir over the fire till it becomes thick; this will take a quarter of an hour. Remove from the fire, add the sugar, almonds, grated rind of lemon, nutmeg, and the yolks of the eggs, stir all to mix thoroughly, then add the stiffly beaten whites and stir them in gently. Pour into a well-buttered earthenware dish, cover with the lid or a buttered paper, and steam for one hour. Serve with sweet sauce.

The pudding can be baked in a moderate oven till it is nicely browned. Serve with cream.

WALNUT PUDDING

• 16 walnuts
• 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter
• 1 teaspoonful almond extract
• ½ teaspoonful vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 2 heaping tablespoonfuls browned bread crumbs
• 1 pint (2 cups) milk
• 3 eggs

Blanch the walnuts, then chop them finely, and mix with the bread crumbs; put them into a fireproof dish with the milk, and allow to boil up; then simmer for ten minutes.

Remove from the fire, and when cool stir in the yolks of the eggs one by one, add the salt, extracts, and the sugar; mix thoroughly. Beat up the whites to a stiff froth, and fold them in gently.

Bake for half an hour in a moderate oven.