Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/76

72 milk is nearly all absorbed; then stir in some grated cocoanut, or, if preferred, chopped almonds. Dish in a glass dish and sprinkle the cocoanut thickly over the top, and grate nutmeg or powdered cinnamon over it.

Ingredients: One cupful of good rice, half an onion, good stock or gravy, grated cheese.

Mode: Well wash the rice, throw it into boiling water and let boil for five minutes; strain from the water and mix with it the onion chopped very small, and fried a light brown in butter. Now have ready some good stock or gravy, put into a stewpan with the rice, and stew slowly, being careful not to let it burn. When done press into a basin or mould till cold, then turn out, cover with grated cheese, and brown in the oven. This is a very troublesome dish to make, but when well done repays one, as it is very good. The cheese can be left out if liked. It is usually eaten with mushrooms.

Ingredients: 3 ozs. dripping, ½ lb. flour, 3 ozs. currants, 3 ozs. sugar, half a teaspoonful ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, one teaspoonful baking powder, milk.

Mode: Rub dripping into the flour, add all the ingredients but the milk, mix well, then moisten with the milk, and boil two hours.

Ingredients: Three tablespoonsful of beef dripping, two tablespoonsful of ground rice, two tablespoonsful of flour, one lemon, two eggs, one cup sweet milk, a little candied peel, sugar to taste, and a few drops of essence.

Mode: Beat the dripping in a basin, stir in gradually the rice, flour, sugar, the grated rind of half a lemon, and the candied peel cut fine, add the milk and eggs beaten together. Flavour with the essence. Last of all mix a pinch of baking soda with a spoonful of milk, stir it into the mixture, also the juice of one lemon. As quickly as possible pour it into a well oiled mould or basin, place a plate on top, tie a cloth over, and boil or steam.

Time: Two hours and a quarter.

Ingredients: Two cups of bread crumbs, one cup of well chopped suet, one cup sugar, two tablespoonsful flour, three tablespoonsful of good marmalade, two eggs, juice of two oranges.

Mode: Add the suet or beef dripping to the bread crumbs, sugar, flour, and marmalade. Mix with the eggs well beaten, and the orange juice. Boil in a well buttered mould or basin and serve with orange sauce.

Time: One hour.

Ingredients: One cup of golden syrup, one tablespoonful of butter, half a cupful of water, two tablespoonsful of sugar, one teaspoonful cornflour, one lemon, a little nutmeg.

Mode: Boil the golden syrup or treacle, butter, water, and sugar together, then thicken with the cornflour, add the nutmeg and the juice of the lemon, and serve either over the pudding or in a sauce boat.

Time: Ten minutes.

Boiled Custard.—There is no nicer sauce for plum pudding, or, indeed, any boiled pudding, than custard. And it can be so easily made that it is little or no trouble. Some people make a great fuss with a jug and saucepan of water, when in reality there is no actual occasion for so much trouble. The following way is all that is required to make as nice a boiled custard as possible. Break two eggs into a basin, put on top of them as much cornflour as you can take up between finger and thumb, and a tablespoonful of white sugar. Beat these well together. Have on a cupful of milk in a saucepan, and directly it bubbles pour it over the eggs into the basin; do not pour the eggs into the milk, remember. It seems a trifling and useless detail, but it will prevent your custard from curdling or