PLUM PUDDING AND MINCE PIE

PLUM PUDDING

Blanch 1 cup of almonds and ½ cup of Brazil nuts, and put them through a fine grinder; add to them 1 cup of blanched chopped walnuts, and mix with these 2 cups of very fine bread crumbs, ½ cup of butter, ½ cup of brown sugar, the grated rind of 3 lemons (washed well before grating), 2 cups of seedless raisins, 2 cups of currants, 2 cups of light Sultana raisins, 1 cup of mixed candied peel finely shredded, and when well blended stir into this six slightly beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon of salt. Put in a pudding basin and steam or boil for eight hours; boil several hours to reheat the day it is to be used. Serve with brandy sauce and nun’s butter.

PLUM PUDDING SAUCE

Beat 1 egg until very light, stir into it 1 cup of sugar, and when blended add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and cook over boiling water for five minutes, adding 1 wineglass of brandy during the last two minutes’ cooking.

NUN’S BUTTER

Beat ½ cup of butter until creamy, and add slowly to it 1 cup of powdered (or granulated) sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla, lemon, or brandy, and a sprinkling of grated nutmeg.

MINCE PIE

Bake 3 large apples, and press them through a sieve to remove skins and cores; grate the rinds from 3 lemons, and add this and the juice of the lemons to the apple pulp; wash, pick over, and bruise in a mortar 1 cup of currants; stone 2 cups of raisins, and cut them in slices. Mix these all well together, chop into them 1 cup of butter (or cocoanut butter), a little salt, 4 cups of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of candied lemon peel, 1 tablespoon of candied citron, and 1 tablespoon of candied orange peel, all well minced, and after stirring well, add 2 tablespoons of orange marmalade and ½ cup of good brandy. Put in sealed glass jars, cover with wax or brandied paper before the jar is closed, and use for pies in two weeks.

Wilt thou draw near the Nature of the gods? Draw near them in being merciful. Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge.”—Shakspere.