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Hunter's Pudding

Puddings and Sweet Deserts

(Or Hunting Pudding

Steamed suet pudding with dried fruit, peel, brandy, lemon and a very sharp, strong spice flavouring. Moxon 1764 uses a whole half-nutmeg, Rundell 1807 uses 'Jamaica Pepper' (allspice) while Mrs.B uses a combination of nutmeg, mace and cloves.


Original Receipt in 'English Housewifry' by Elizabeth Moxon, 1764 (Moxon 1764)

131. A HUNTING PUDDING.
Take a pound of fine flour, a pound of beef-suet shred fine, three quarters of a pound of currans well cleaned, a quartern of raisins stoned and shred, five eggs, a little lemon-peel shred fine, half a nutmeg grated, a jill of cream, a little salt, about two spoonfuls of sugar, and a little brandy, so mix all well together, and tie it up right in your cloth; it will take two hours boiling; you must have a little white wine and butter for your sauce.




Original Receipt in 'A New System Of Domestic Cookery' by 'A Lady' (Mrs. Maria Eliza Ketelby Rundell) (Rundell 1807);

HUNTERS' PUDDING.
Mix a pound of suet, ditto flour, ditto currants, ditto raisins, stoned and a little cut, the rind of half a lemon shred as fine as possible, six Jamaica peppers, in fine powder, four eggs, a glass of brandy, a little salt, and as little milk as will make it of a proper consistence; boil it in a floured cloth, or a melon-mould, eight or nine hours. Serve with sweet-sauce. Add sometimes a spoonful of peach-water for change of flavour.
This pudding will keep, after it is boiled, six months, if kept tied up in the same cloth, and hung up, folded in a sheet of cap-paper, to preserve it from dust, being first cold. When to be used, it must boil a full hour.




Original Receipt in 'The Book of Household Management' edited by Isabella Beeton, 1861 (See Mrs.B)

HUNTER'S PUDDING.
1288. INGREDIENTS. - 1 lb. of raisins, 1 lb. of currants, 1 lb. of suet, 1 lb. of bread crumbs, 3 lb. of moist sugar, 8 eggs, 1 tablespoonful of flour, 3 lb of mixed candied peel, 1 glass of brandy, 10 drops of essence of lemon, 10 drops of essence of almonds, 1/2 nutmeg, 2 blades of mace, 6 cloves.
Mode. - Stone and shred the raisins rather small, chop the suet finely, and rub the bread until all lumps are well broken; pound the spice to powder,   cut the candied peel into thin shreds, and mix all these ingredients well together, adding the sugar. Beat the eggs to a strong froth, and as they are   beaten, drop into them the essence of lemon and essence of almonds; stir these to the dry ingredients, mix well, and add the brandy. Tie the pudding firmly in a cloth, and boil it for 6 hours at the least: 7 or 8 hours would be still better for it. Serve with boiled custard, or red-currant jelly, or brandy sauce.
Time. - 6 to 8 hours.
Average cost, 3s. 6d.
Sufficient for 9 or 10 persons.
Seasonable in winter.




What might the strong taste of Hunter's Pudding mask?
Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser - Saturday 19 September 1829, p2





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