To make a fine Bread Pudding.
TAKE all the crumb of a fine penny loaf, cut it thin, a quart
of cream, set it over a slow fire till it is scalding hot, then let it
stand till it is cold, beat up the bread and cream well together,
grate in some nutmeg, take twelve bitter almonds, boil them in
two spoonfuls of water, pour the water to the cream and stir it
in with a little salt, sweeten it to your palate, blanch the almonds
and beat them in a mortar, with two spoonfuls of rose or orange
flower water till they are a fine paste; then mix them by degrees
with the cream, till they are well mixed in; the cream, then take
the yolks of eight eggs, the whites of but four, beat them well
and mix them with your cream, and mix all well together. A
wooden dish is best to boil it in; but if you boil it in a cloth, be
sure to dip it in the hot water and flour it well, tie it loose and
boil it half an hour. Be sure the water boils when you put it in,
still keeping boiling all the time. When it is enough turn it into
your dish, melt butter and put in two or three spoonfuls of white
wine or sack, give it a boil and pour it over your pudding; then
draw a good deal of fine sugar all over the pudding and dish, and
serve it to table hot. New milk will do, when you cannot get
cream. You may, for change, put in a few currants.