Ladies and Gentlemen,

For our first swap of the year, we shall make a genuine Regency desert pudding that will grace any table with its stylish shape, for we are to use a ceramic mould or bowl for the pudding, and a jelly mould for the custard. We intend to share our cooking findings with our partners. Yes, this time we shall have two partners to share our culinary journey, please be willing to share any disappointments in the taste or making department, your thoughts on the flavours of the turn of the 19th century, and enjoy the merriment with each other

So send an email to two partners, containing your description of how it was to make this recipe, how easy or otherwise, what you (and your family) thought of the presentation and grand tasting. Please include photographs of your Regency 1816 pudding and its accompanying custard.

May you have a rewarding day in the kitchen.
As always, please reach out for help if you need it, by messaging below or via Swap-Bot messages, thank you.

Jane, Anna and Nickalli.

1816 CARROT PUDDING Receipt

1 breakfastcupful of each:-

grated carrot, milk, suet, breadcrumbs, currants, raisins, flour
two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of honey. A pinch of salt, a quarter teaspoonful of natron.
Method
1. Brush out a basin or mould with melted butter. Cover base with
large raisins close together.
2 in a large bowl, Mix all ingredients together pour in to buttered
basin and top with buttered parchment. (use the butter's paper)
3 Boil for 8 hours *
4 Turn mould out onto hot serving plate, bring to table steaming hot.

Point to remember: The carrot is grated and added raw.
When turned mould out: The raisins will be dark, a fetching black cap to the pudding. Serve with a Jesmond Custard.

for your convenience I have added more instructions in italics.
The 'bowl' used for steaming ought to be an pudding basin, so large enough to hold all the ingredients so it leaves about an inch from the top (2.5cm).

to prepare for steaming- push the butter paper (or buttered baking parchment) onto the surface of pudding, touching it all around the sides aswell. Cut a piece of cloth eg from old sheet, to cover around the open mouth of the pudding bowl (metal or china bowl) extending down the sides a little way, tie it on tightly around the lip of bowl with string. Next tear a piece of aluminium foil folded up in quarters & place in bottom of a larger saucepan for boiling (this stops burning the bottom of pudding basin), next fill saucepan to half way up the outsides of bowl with water. place on saucepan lid firmly

*bring to the boil, then turn heat down to simmer for 8 hours, do not let the water get too low, top up to half way up the sides every two hours or so.

Jesmond Custard

3 leaves of gelatin (they used isinglass, but gelatin is our substitute) 3 eggs, half a breakfastcupful of fine sugar, Two and half breakfastcupful milk.
Soak the gelatin in milk for one hour, put into saucepan, add sugar, beaten egg yolks, bring to boiling point then immediately take off heat, then add stiffly beaten egg whites, flavour with lemon juice and mix all well. Pour into a wet jelly mould. Leave until set.
Point to Remember: A custard boiled is a custard spoiled. To turn out custard cleanly, dip outside of mould in hot water briefly, and turn onto decorative plate, tap the top of mould to loosen. It should come out cleanly.

PLEASE NOTE:

Natron is the common name for a natural salts rising agent, used extensively in Europe & Africa where it originates, in USA it is known as Sodium bi-carbonate, in UK & Australia it is known as Bi-carbonate of Soda. It has been used for many centuries in baking, and four millennia in cleaning and hygiene. It is completely safe.

If you do not know what SUET is, "Suet is the raw, hard fat of beef" what we generally cut away...you can use a replacement if it is unavailable such as lard where you buy butter alternatives in refrigerator section in supermarkets, lard is made from pork fat or a modern alternative is vegetable shortening. Suet maybe sold boxed in the bakery section of your supermarket, or British food store. But if all else fails, then use frozen butter.