Frying - The Victorian Way

From 'The Dictionary of Daily Wants' - 1859

PLUM PUDDING.- This national dish is prepared in a variety of ways, the following being the best receipts :

1. Take a pound of fresh beef-suet, very finely minced, a pound of raisins stoned and chopped, a pound of currants cleaned and dried, a pound of flour, the grated peel of a lemon, half of a nutmeg, six well-beaten eggs, an ounce of candied orange-peel and half an ounce of candied lemon-peel minced, half a pound of brown sugar, a wineglassful of brandy and a teacupful of cream. Mix all the ingredients well with the flour. Boil the pudding in a cloth, put it into a copper of boiling water, and keep it boiling for seven hours. Before serving, strew grated loaf sugar over it.

2. A pound of raisins stoned, half a pound of currants well cleaned, a pound of fresh beef suet finely minced, five tablespoonfuls of grated bread, three tablespoonfuls of flour, two of brown sugar, one teaspoonful of pounded ginger, one of cinnamon and one of salt; six eggs well beaten, and a gill of rum, mix these thoroughly together the day before it is to be boiled. Boil it in a cloth or mould for four or five hours.

3. Take a pound of the best raisins stoned, and a pound of currants; chop very small a pound of fresh beef suet, blanch and pound two ounces of sweet almonds and half an ounce of bitter ones; mix the whole well together with a pound of sifted flour, and the same weight of crumb of bread soaked in milk, squeeze it dry and stir with a spoon until reduced to a mash, before it is mixed with the flour. Cut into small pieces two ounces each of preserved citron, orange, and lemon-peel, and add a quarter of an ounce of mixed spice; put a quarter of a pound of moist sugar into a basin with eight eggs, well beaten; stir this with the pudding, and make it of a proper consistence with milk. Pour a gill of brandy over the fruit and spice, mixed together in a basin, and allow it to stand for three or four hours before the pudding is made, stirring occasionally. Tie it in a cloth, and boil it for five hours.

4. Take half a pound of grated bread, a quarter of a pound of finely-minced suet, a tablespoonful of flour, half a pound of currants, two ounces of brown sugar, and a wineglassful of brandy; mix all together with a sufficient quantity of milk to make it into a stiff batter; boil it in a cloth for four hours.

Ingredients

1. Suet, 1lb.; raisins, 1lb.; currants, 1lb.; flour, 1lb.; lemon, peel of 1; nutmeg, 1/2 of 1; eggs, 6; candied orange-peel, loz.; candied lemon-peel, 1/2oz.; sugar, 1/2lb. ; brandy, 1 wineglassful; cream, 1 teacupful.

2. Raisins, 1lb.; currants, 1/2lb.; suet, 1lb.; bread grated, 5 tablespoonfuls; flour, 3 tablespoonfuls ; sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls; ginger, 1 teaspoonful; cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful; salt, 1 teaspoonful; eggs, 6; rum, 1 gill.

3. Raisins, 1lb.; currants, 1lb.; suet, 1lb.; almonds, sweet, 2ozs., bitter, 1/2oz.; flour, 1lb.; bread crumb, 1lb.; milk, sufficient; citron, candied orange and lemon-peel, 2ozs. each; mixed spice, 1/4oz.; sugar, 1/4lb.; eggs, 8; brandy, 1 gill.

4. Bread, grated, 1/2lb.; suet, 1/4lb.; flour, l tablespoonful; currants, 1/2lb.; sugar, 2ozs.; brandy, l wineglassful.

Plum Cake - Four Victorian Recipes

More Victorian Plum Recipes

More Victorian Recipes