I whipped this up for the Retro Recipe Challenge #6, Food of Love. (Actually, I was going to make something else, but it rated a 10 on the disaster scale, so I had to shift gears just one day before deadline, and Laura Rebecca was sweet enough to let me post this a day late), so here it is, Miss Fannie Farmer’s Tipsy Pudding!

This recipe was originally published in the 1918 edition of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, and includes another recipe from the same volume; Boiled Custard. (Note, the original recipe also calls for Cream Sauce I (whipped cream) but I could not follow this recipe due to differences in milk processing, etc since Miss Farmer’s Day. I simply whipped some heavy whipping cream with sugar and vanilla until I got stiff peaks.)

So, in true retro recipe fashion, here are the recipes in the order required to make Miss Farmer’s Tipsy Pudding:

Boiled Custard:

Ingredients:

2 cups scalded milk
¹/₄ cup sugar
Yolks 3 eggs
¹/₈ teaspoon salt
¹/₂ teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Beat eggs slightly, add sugar and salt; stir constantly while adding gradually hot milk. Cook in double boiler, continue stirring until mixture thickens and a coating is formed on the spoon, strain immediately; chill and flavor. If cooked too long the custard will curdle; should this happen, by using an egg-beater it may be restored to a smooth consistency, but custard will not be as thick. Eggs should be beaten slightly for custard, that it may be of smooth, thick consistency. To prevent scum from forming, cover with a perforated tin. When eggs are scarce, use yolks two eggs and one-half tablespoon corn-starch.

Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:

8 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar or 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
¹/₈ tsp Mexican vanilla or vanilla extract

Method:

Beat chilled cream in chilled mixing bowl using chilled beater at high speed until soft peaks form (about 1 minute), scraping sides often.

Add Vanilla, continue beating until hard peaks form (about 1 minute), adding sugar gradually, scraping sides occasionally.

Tipsy Pudding:

Flavor Boiled Custard with Sherry wine, and pour over slices of stale sponge cake; cover with Cream Sauce I or II.

(Note, I did not use either of these sauces, since I can’t get unprocessed heavy cream. I also used stale Pound Cake rather than sponge cake. A substitution of which I’m sure Miss Farmer would have approved.)

I used Taylor Dry Sherry rather than a cream sherry, because I rarely have a need for the cream variety, and the recipe didn’t specify. I’m sure you could substitute Port or Marsala just as easily.

That’s it for this little taste-treat kids. I’m off in search of the next.

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