Foods of England - Sutherland or Castle Puddings

Sutherland or Castle Puddings

Puddings and Sweet Deserts

(Or Pontefract Puddings, Castle Puddings, Cup Puddings, Railway Pudding)

Whisked-egg sponge pudding-cake with flavouring of choice (lemon, mace, orange-flower water, etc), baked in individual moulds, turned out and served with a rich sauce.

This form of cake-sponge pudding is nowadays so near the universal form of English pudding that it hardly seems to deserve a special name. But in the 19th Century it was a very distinct contrast to the, then, usual steamed suet pudding, such as, say, Ginger Pudding.

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Original Receipt from 'Modern Cookery for Private Families' by Eliza Acton (Acton 1845);

SUTHERLAND OR CASTLE PUDDINGS.
Take an equal weight of eggs in the shell, of good butter, of fine dry flour, and of sifted sugar. First, whisk the eggs for ten minutes or until they appear extremely light, then throw in the sugar by degrees, and continue the whisking for four or five minutes; next, strew in the flour, also gradually, and when it appears smoothly blended with the other ingredients, pour the butter to them in small portions, each of which should be beaten in until there is no appearance of it left. It should previously be just liquefied with the least possible degree of heat: this may be effected by putting it into a well-warmed saucepan, and shaking it round until it is dissolved. A grain or two of salt should be thrown in with the flour; and the rind of half a fine lemon rasped on sugar or grated, or some pounded mace, or any other flavour can be added at choice. Pour the mixture directly it is ready into well-buttered cups, and bake the puddings from twenty to twenty-five minutes. When cold they resemble good pound cakes, and may be served as such. Wine sauce should be sent to table with them.
Eggs, 4; their weight in flour, sugar, and butter; little salt; flavouring of pounded mace or lemon-rind.

Obs.- Three eggs are sufficient for a small dish of these puddings. They may be varied with an ounce or two of candied citron; or with a spoonful of brandy, or a little orange-flower water. The mode we have given of making them will be found perfectly successful if our directions be followed with exactness. In a slow oven they will not be too much baked in half an hour.

Original Receipt from 'Nottinghamshire Guardian' - Friday 03 October 1884

Sutherland Pudding.— Take the weight of as many eggs as may be wished in sugar, floor, and good batter. . Melt the butter slightly, then beat it to a cream with a spoon, and add one at a time, first the eggs which have been beaten separately, then the sugar, then the flour, with a small pinch of salt. Flavour with a little grated lemon rind or candied peel, and continue beating it between every addition. Ornament some buttered cups or dariole moulds with dried cherries, chopped pistachio kernels, strips of candied peel, or in any convenient way. Three parts fill with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. When brown and well risen they are ready, and should be turned upon a dish and have wine or any good pudding sauce poured round them. If liked, the batter may be omitted, and baking powder, a heaped teaspoonful to a pound of ingredients may be used instead. If necessary a very little cold milk may he added to moisten the mixture. Three eggs, with the other ingredients in proportion, will make a moderate sized dish. These puddings are I known under various names, Sutherland puddings, Pontefract puddings, castle puddings, cup puddings railway puddings. They may be flavoured in a variety of ways, with lemon, candied peel, orange flower water, almond, ratafia, or vanilla essence. The time needed for baking will vary from ten minutes to half an hour, according to the size of the cup or mould in which they are baked.

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