Puddings

This chapter concentrates mainly on puddings that children like, since many people now seem to want to go straight on to fresh fruit and cheese; but if your first course is nothing much, then a good pudding does help to salvage your reputation. One or two steamed puddings are included, and although they are a bit of a challenge to the modern stomach, they are comforting on a cold winter’s day after a morning in the fresh air. Vanilla sugar is mentioned in several recipes; this is made by putting a vanilla pod into an airtight glass storage jar, and filling it up with caster sugar. Let it stay there, refilling with sugar when necessary, until it loses its aroma, which is only after several months. The flavour given by vanilla sugar is different and much better than the flavour of vanilla essence.