19^th century

Cabinet Pudding

This pudding is also sometimes called ‘Newcastle pudding’, ‘diplomat pudding’ or ‘Chancellor’s pudding’, though the connection with politics isn’t clear. Recipes also vary. Most recipes are tipsy puddings – much like a trifle – with pieces of sponge cake or sometimes even plain buttered bread or biscuits soaked in booze layered with dried fruits and custard. These are placed in a fancy mould and the pudding is then steamed.

Alexis Soyer gives a recipe for an ‘Iced Cabinet Pudding’, basically placing the pudding into ice for two hours until the custard has frozen. I tried and failed; however, preparing the same pudding by steaming rather than placing over ice makes for an excellent cabinet pudding.

Iced Cabinet Pudding

Have ready prepared, and rather stale, a sponge-cake as directed (No. 859), which cut into slices half an inch thick, and rather smaller than the mould you intend making the pudding in, soak them well with noyeau brandy; then lay some preserved dry cherries at the bottom of the mould, with a few whole ratafias, lay one of the slices over, then more cherries and ratafias, proceeding thus until the mould is three parts full; have ready a quart of the custard (No. 804), omitting half the quantity of isinglass, pour it lukewarm into your mould, which close hermetically, and bury in ice and salt, where let it remain at least two hours.

Alexis Soyer, The Modern Housewife or, Ménagère, 1849

Makes 1 pudding in a 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cup) fancy mould

190 g (6¾ oz) stale sponge cake

10–15 ratafia biscuits or amaretti biscuits

cognac or dark rum, to taste

half quantity of custard sauce)

10–15 glacé cherries

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Slice the sponge cake in 1 cm (³/₈ inch) thick pieces and arrange in a deep dish with the biscuits. Drizzle with a generous amount of cognac or rum and let it soak.

Lightly grease the mould (if you don’t want to take any risks getting the pudding out later, line it with plastic wrap – the sort that doesn’t melt in the oven – sticking it to the butter).

Make the custard and let it cool slightly while you fill the mould. Place a few cherries in the base of the mould, then add a layer of sponge cake and one of biscuits, then add a few more cherries and another layer of sponge and biscuits. Repeat until the mould is three-quarters full.

Pour in the lukewarm custard then place the mould on top of a trivet or inverted saucer in a deep ovenproof pot that can completely cover the mould. Fill the pot with boiling water halfway up the sides of the mould, place a saucer on top of the mould and put the lid on the pot.

Carefully put the pot in your oven. Leave to steam for 1 hour, then allow the pudding to cool for 5 minutes in the mould before attempting to turn it out on a plate.

Serve with Sack sauce or just on its own, as it shouldn’t be dry.