SC - Cambridge Pudding revisited

[Michael P Newton]

Having a period potluck to go to (we have one every quarter in our
Shire), I went ahead and used the redaction challange I put up on list to
get people talking about cooking agian. The pudding went over very well,
with several people asking me if it was going to cooked for a feast soon.

the redaction I used was the one which came from The Plimoth Plantation
Cookbook

Cambridge Pudding

2 cups bread crumbs (I used grated white)
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour (Used just 1 cup of white                      flour,
instead)
1 cup minced dates
11/2 cups currents (I couldn't find currents                      here in
Springfield, so I                     used raisins instead)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
                   (my kids have hidden my                     measuring
spoons, so I use                     normal eating spoons, all           
         tea/tablespoons are                     aproxamate)
3/4 cup suet, chopped fine
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk, warmed
2 eggs 
3 tablespoons butter

Mix the crumbs, flour, dried fruits, spices, and suet until well blended.
Beat eggs and milk together,
( ok, this is where I paused a bit, because the orginal said to take away
some of the whites, yet this one didn't. I went ahead and put the full
two eggs in, but did the orginal mean more than two eggs and separte some
of them, if so, would that make a richer pudding? it was pretty rich as
it was. something to try next time)
pour over the bread mixture , and work lightly with a spoon until well
combined. Separate the misture into 2 halves and form them both into
rounds resembling bread loaves.
( this is where it got fun. the dough was way too wet to do this. believe
me, I tried. I ended up putting half the mix on the tea- towel, putting
the butter in the middle, and placing the other half on top, making sure
I sealed in the butter, with a spoon)
Press the bottom side of the remaining loaf agains the first, so that the
butter is now at the center of a ball. Place the pudding ball in the
center of a large round [20"]of cheesecloth. 
(the cheesecloth here in Spfd is really loosely woven, so I used on of my
tea-towels, the kind which is embrioered on one of the corners, instead.
It worked perfectly)
Wrap the pudding loosely, binding the ends at the top with a string.
Meanwhile bring a 4 quart pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop the
pudding in the pot, cover,
(I didn't,since I thought the pudding had to be susbened in the water.
Instead I tied the bag to a stick so that the bottom of the pudding would
not touch the bottom of the pot)
and cook for 1 1/4 hours. Remove from water, unwrap immediately, slice
and serve. Serves 8

I had a lot of fun with this one, and am willing to do it again. while
the recipe said serves 8, It is aweful rich, to my taste anyways (must be
the suet), I would cut the ball smaller. Although, one ball to a table at
a feast would be impressive.

did anyone else try this, and if so, how did it come out for you?
Lady Beatrix
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