Boiled And Steamed Puddings

Always put puddings which are to be boiled over the fire in boiling water, and keep it at a hard bubble until the time for cooking them is up. If you use a cloth for holding the batter or dough, have one of strong unbleached muslin, and keep it for nothing else. When you are ready to use it, rinse it in hot, then in cold, water, wringing it dry in the last, butter it on the inside and dredge plentifully with flour. In tying up the pudding leave room for it to swell, and tie tightly with strong twine or tape.

When the pudding is done plunge the bag for one instant into cold water to make the contents shrink away from the cloth; leave it for a few minutes on a dish to harden the outside, untie the strings, and turn out carefully upon a hot dish.

If you prefer a pudding-mould, grease it well, see that the top fits tightly, do not fill it too full, and look to it that the boiling water does not upset it in the pot. The mould should not float in the water. Dip into cold water for an instant when the pud-ding is done. Should the water boil away too much from the cloth or mould, replenish from the boiling tea-kettle.