Choosing a Pudding.

Regular readers will know that I have a particular fondness for books that provide a recipe or menu for every day of the year. I don’t believe I have used Puddings & sweets, 365 receipts (London, 1877) previously, so I assumed that would allow me to indulge my interest in ‘calendar’ recipe books, keep me on the dessert theme for the week, and give me an easy post while I am on holiday.
As it turns out, there are indeed 365 receipts in the book, but they are given alphabetically – the author has not pre-selected one for each specific day of the year. So, I cannot give you the pudding for January 6, but am forced to make my selection by my other favourite system – the intriguing-name method. I hope you like my choices.

Bole Comadree Pudding.

Extract a cupful of milk from two cocoa-nuts, and set it aside; make a syrup of half a pound of sugar; mix into it half a pound of finely sifted rice flour; fry with the yolk of an egg the scrapings of the cocoa-nuts ; add half a pound of treacle and a few grains of aniseed; then mix the whole together; when the oven is well heated pour the mixture into a well buttered dish and bake until set.

Don Juan Pudding.
Blanch and pound up a pound of sweet almonds with a dessert-spoonful of rose water; then add the yolks and whites of six eggs. Beat all together well for half-an-hour; pour the mixture into a rich paste, and bake in a moderate oven.

Ostrich Omelette.
Well beat up an ostrich egg*. Warm some fat in a pan, and pour the egg in; when done on one side turn it over and cook the other side. Let it rise well, and be a nice light brown.

*the author gives no advice as to sourcing an ostrich egg in Britain.