Monday, December 13, 2010

oh bring us some figgy pudding!


Ok this is not figgy pudding.
But I couldn't resist how Christmasy it sounds. 
Although I think if it came down to it, I could resist the figgy pudding itself.

But we are going to talk pudding.

I collect old cookbooks. I love them! They're so cute, and some can be quite hilarious.
I have a stack of old cookbooks sitting in my kitchen, and I've never actually made anything out of them....so I figured why not?

I think I'll try a recipe out of them every now and then--add my own tweaks, and maybe we'll find some new (old) favorites. 
bhg

So I chose pudding. 
I found a recipe for chocolate pudding, and made a few adjustments,
hoping it would taste like a big bowl of chocolate Christmas. 
It did.
peppermint pudding

Chocolate and Peppermint Pudding
recipe adapted from the 1941 (reprinted in 1950)  Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook
serves 4

1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk (I used skim milk and it was INCREDIBLY rich. If you dare to use whole milk your head might explode)
2 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
1 oz good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract
crushed candy canes for garnish

Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
Slowly mix in milk. 
Cook over medium heat (continue stirring), until mixture comes to boil. 
Boil for one minute (still stirring)

Slowly stir half the mixture into the egg yolks, and then back into the saucepan on the stove.
Boil for one minute. 
Remove from heat and add in chopped chocolate and peppermint extract. 

This is where the pudding is to be "molded", you know--poured into your jello molds. 
Well I guess I fail Basic Wifery 101, because I don't have jello molds. 
So I poured them into plain old bowls.
oh heavens!

Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

top with candy cane pieces and enjoy!

***bonus points if you DO have a jello mold!

16 comments:

summer said...

sheena, vintage cooking!! i'm all ears. collecting old cookbooks is right up my alley- i have this same one! but have i ever thought about making a recipe out of it? um, NO. duh.

you're brilliant! thank you for thinking for me.

love the first one you picked to try- it really does look like a bowl of christmas! i'm happily surprised at the amount of sugar.. i would've thought pudding would be overloaded.

ps. no jello molds at my house either. how would we have survived in 1950?

Kasey said...

We're on the same wave length. Last night I covered homemade peppermint marshmallows in dark chocolate and crushed candycane.

This pudding sounds fabulous!

And the word verification is SONIC, which is absolutely a sign that I should go to Happy Hour today!

Brittany said...

i love the chocolate and minty combo--one of my favorite flavor profiles. last night i made a gingerbread/raspberry/vanilla custard trifle. it looked and tasted so festive!

Brinn said...

yummy!

Heather said...

We made your bean and bacon soup over the weekend, which was incredible, and now I am off to make this wonderful sounding pudding. Thanks for sharing :)

Kaylynn said...

I get the bonus points. Not only do I have the cookbook, but I have the jello mold to go with it!

Can't wait to see you!

gram said...

.. so proud of my girl! ... see it wasn't hard to make, tho I don't put egg yolks in mine.. maybe so it would 'set-up' when it was poured into a mold... no more boxed pudding for you!

Rachael said...

I want to eat that right now!! Yum!

Hayley said...

figgy pudding? that picture is soooo gross looking, but i'll take some chocolate!

Anonymous said...

Leave the figgy pudding to Dickens. Give me some of this delicious chocolate-peppermint pudding!

Lesley said...

i love everything about this! yum!

figgy pudding freaks me out.

so glad that the pudding recipe didn't call for gelatin!

Jennie said...

I LOVE that cookbook! What a fabulous pudding, love how you dressed it up for the holidays :)

A Beautiful Life said...

oooh, that sounds like perfect Christmas Eve treat!!

Melissa said...

love love this... I have a vintage BH&G Junior cookbook from 1955 and it just sits quietly and contently on my bookshelf. I'll have to bust it open sometime!

Compliance Hong Kong said...

I cooked it at home once, it was not good. But I will try your recipe. I hope I will make good this time.

Visit my site for Top Austin Towing company said...

Hmmm seriously, I'm dying. These look divine. I'll have to try them out this season! Thanks for sharing!