Monday 15 September 2014

Rice Pud as loved by Lytton Strachey - The Bloomsbury Group

Ingredients:
4 ozs. of pudding rice (or Arborio)
1.1/2pts. whole milk
2 ozs. butter
4 eggs - beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large tablespoons of (moist?) sugar
flavouring to taste

"Strew the rice very gently in the above proportion of new milk, and when it is tender pour it into a basin, pour in the butter and let it stand to cool, then beat the eggs, add these to the rice with the sugar, salt and any flavouring that may be approved, such as nutmeg, powdered cinnamon, grated lemon peel, essence of bitter almonds or vanilla.  When all is well stirred, pour the pudding into a buttered basin, tie it down with a clean cloth, plunge it into boiling water , and boil for 1.1/4 hours.  Sufficient for 3 to 6 persons."

This recipe is originally from Mrs. Beaton's Book of Household Management dated 1895.

I think the up-to-date version would be to put all the ingredients into a buttered dish and place in a 'medium' oven until lovely, soft and creamy.

Lytton Strachey (1880-1932) - writer and critic - founder of The Bloomsbury Group

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