To make a Quaking Pudding. is a traditional Stuart recipe for a classic pudding of a sweetened bread, cream and egg blend with spices that's steamed and which should quake or wobble when cooked. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Stuart version of: To make a Quaking Pudding.
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Original Recipe
To make a Quaking Pudding. (from Robert May's Accomplisht Cook 1660)
To make a Quaking Pudding.
Slice the crumbs of a penny manchet, and infuse it three or four hours in a pint of scalding hot cream, covering it close, then break the bread with a spoon very small, and put to it eight eggs, and put only four whites, beat them together very well, and season it with sugar, rose-water, and grated nutmeg: if you think it too stiff, put in some cold cream and beat them well together; then wet the bag or napkin and flour it, put in the pudding, tie it hard, and boil it half an hour, then dish it and put to it butter, rose-water, and sugar, and serve it up to the table.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
300g fine white breadcrumbs
500ml cream
4 egg yolks
4 whole eggs
50g sugar
6 tbsp rose water
1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
cold cream, as needed
60g butter
4 tbsp rose water
4 tbsp sugar
Method:
Pour the cream into a pan, bring it to scalding point then take off the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs. Set aside for 60 minutes to infuse and swell.
Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir into the cream and bread mix along with the rose water and nutmeg. If the batter is too stiff add a little cream. If too thin add about 50g more breadcrumbs (the exact quantities will depend on the dryness of the breadcrumbs).
Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add your pudding cloth to scald. Remove from the pot, drain, fold over and flour. Set your pudding mixture in the cloth then bring the ends together and tie securely. Place the pudding in your pan of boiling water and tie it to the handle of the pan so it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for 60 minutes, topping-up the water levels as needed.
Alternatively you can book in a pudding basin. Make the pudding batter a little looser than before then pour into your pudding basin. Seal with a lid or a sheet of greaseproof (waxed) paper. Tie securely then cover with a double layer of kitchen foil. Place in a large pan with a trivet or inverted plate on the base. Pour in boiling water to come half way up the sides of the pudding. Pace on the heat and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and steam the pudding for 60 minutes, topping-up the water as needed.
When cooked, unwrap the pudding and turn out onto a serving plate. In the meantime, beat together the butter, rose water and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Place this over the pudding and serve.
