Polanyi pudding

Background

Cf. Hugh O'Neill letters. O'Neill's daughter put the recipe in a "pudding book" (Dru Scott to O'N, 24 August 1981, UNR, WTS letters 284..287).

I somehow traced the idea of the pudding through some of my reading in Scott's files, then assembled this from internet resources. Helen Thomas is Hugh's daughter (letter to Joan Crewdson [343]); he says MP is in the index to the book.

Apple Snow

- 1 lb of apples

- 2 Tb water

- strip of lemon rind

- 2 oz. sugar

- 1/2 pint of milk

- 2 eggs

- 1 oz. of castor sugar

- Vanilla essence

- 4 oz. of sponge cake

- Almonds to decorate.

Wash the apples, cut up roughly, and stew with the water. ("Pare, quarter, and core four sour apples, steam until soft, and rub through sieve; there should be three-fourths cup apple pulp."[1])

[Add?] lemon rind and sugar; [cook?] until soft, sieve.

Heat the milk slightly and pour out into the beaten egg yolks; add the sugar and vanilla essence. Cook without boiling until the sauce begins to thicken.

Arrange the sponge cake in a plain dish and pour on the custard.

Whisk the egg whites stiffly and mix gradually with apple puree, whisking thoroughly.

Pile apple snow on top of the custard and decorate with spikes of almonds.

Serve very cold.

Serves six.

Helen Thomas, Pudding Book, Hutchinson (1980, p. 18).  

Boiled Custard

- 2 cups scalded milk

- 1/4 cup sugar

- Yolks 3 eggs

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

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 the 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 two egg yolks and one-half tablespoon corn-starch.