Christmas Plum Pudding Recipe from The White House Cookbook of 1913

This Christmas pudding recipe is a genuine English plum pudding recipe taken from "The White House Cook Book" by Hugo Ziemann, Steward of the White House, and Mrs. F. L. Gillette, a celebrated 19th-century cookbook author, published by The Saalfield Publishing Company, New York, in 1913.

Imagine: This Christmas pudding recipe was once used to prepare puddings for America's Presidents. It must be good!


Christmas Plum Pudding Recipe
Soak one pound of stale bread in a pint of hot milk and let it stand and cool. When cold, add to it one-half pound of sugar and the yolks of eight eggs beaten to a cream, one pound of raisins, stoned and floured, one pound of Zante currants, washed and floured, a quarter of a pound of citron cut in slips and dredged with flour, one pound of beef suet, chopped fine and salted, one glass of wine, one glass of brandy, one nutmeg and a tablespoonful of mace, cinnamon, and cloves mixed; beat the whole well together and, as the last thing, add the whites of the eight eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; pour into a cloth, previously scalded and dredged with flour, tie it firmly, leaving room for the pudding to swell and boil six hours. Serve with wine or brandy sauce. It is best to prepare the ingredients the day before and cover closely.


Superior Sauce For Plum Pudding
Cream together a cupful of sugar and half a cupful of butter; when light and creamy, add the well-beaten yolks of four eggs. Stir into this one wineglass of wine or one of brandy, a pinch of salt, and one large cupful of hot cream or rich milk. Beat this mixture well; place it in a saucepan over the fire, stir it until it cooks sufficiently to thicken like cream. Be sure and not let it boil. Delicious!


Cold Brandy Sauce For Plum Pudding
Two cupfuls of powdered sugar, half a cupful of butter, one wineglass of brandy, cinnamon and nutmeg, a teaspoonful of each. Warm the butter slightly and work it to a light cream with the sugar, then add the brandy and spices; beat it hard and set aside till wanted. Should be put into a mold to look nicely and serve on a flat dish.

The above dessert sauce recipes are perfect for use with any of the vintage Christmas pudding recipes.