A Pudding To Fry
From the treasured pages of Cookery and medicinal recipes by Kendall Rose and Anne Cater
Written by Rose Kendall, Anne Cater, Elizabeth Clarke, Anna Maria Bold
A Pudding To Fry
"Grate a penny loaf and put a pint of creame to it, then take six eggs, leaving out three whites, and beaty m woll togorther a spoonfull or two of Rose water and as much of sack, put thom to y° grated Bread and creame, take also four good spoonfull of flowor and as much sugar, and half a pound of beaf sunt shred small, and if you please about a quarter of a pound of Butter, rub it in yo flowor and pudding as you doo a tansy, stirr it woll till it an Inch thick, and when on yo side is fryed brown turnd it upon a pye plate, and fry y° othor side, Adding moro Butter if yo° doo daugero."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in 17th-century English with non-standardized spelling and punctuation—'beaty m woll togorther' means 'beat them well together', while 'y°' stands for 'the', using the old scribal abbreviation 'þe'. The instruction to 'rub it in yo flowor' refers to rubbing butter into the flour, a traditional British technique. Quantities were not rigorously specified, relying on the cook's experience and judgment ('as much as sugar', 'if you please about a quarter of a pound of butter'). Instructions could also be sparse ('stirr it woll till it an Inch thick'), reflecting oral culinary tradition and the assumption the reader had kitchen knowledge.
Title
Cookery and medicinal recipes by Kendall Rose and Anne Cater (1712)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Rose Kendall, Anne Cater, Elizabeth Clarke, Anna Maria Bold
Era
1712
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the inviting kitchens of the past with this enchanting collection of culinary wisdom from England's early modern era. Crafted by a talented array of women, this book promises savory pies, sweet confections, and secret family recipes—an aromatic tour through centuries-old feasts sure to delight the curious palate.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This pudding comes from a manuscript compiled between 1675 and 1750, likely by upper-class English women such as Rose Kendall and Anne Cater. At that time, sweet, fried puddings were a festive treat, combining ingredients like suet, cream, eggs, and fragrant flavorings for a rich, celebratory dessert. Such recipes reflect the influence of French and continental tastes—rose water and sack (a sweet Spanish wine) were luxurious, cosmopolitan ingredients. The use of beef suet reveals its Englishness, as making use of animal fats in desserts was a common culinary tradition in Britain well into the 18th century.
The pudding would have been prepared in a sizable wooden or pottery mixing bowl with a coarse grater for the bread. Eggs would be beaten with a two-tined metal fork or wooden whisk. Frying was typically done over an open hearth or in a cast iron spider or skillet, using plenty of butter to prevent sticking. A large plate or tin would have been used to turn the pudding out when browning the second side—a tricky maneuver before nonstick pans! Measuring was imprecise: cooks measured by spoons, handfuls, and intuition.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 small white bread roll (about 2½ oz), grated
- 1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
- 6 eggs (use 3 whole eggs plus 3 yolks, discard 3 whites)
- 1–2 tablespoons rose water
- 1–2 tablespoons sweet sherry (substitute for sack wine)
- 1¾ oz plain flour
- 1¾ oz caster sugar
- 8 oz beef suet, finely shredded (vegetable suet can substitute)
- 4 oz unsalted butter (optional, rubbed into the flour)
- Butter for frying
Instructions
- Begin by grating one small white bread roll (about 2½ oz) into a bowl.
- Pour in 1 pint (2 cups) of heavy cream and let the bread soak gently.
- In a separate bowl, beat six eggs, but discard three of the whites so you have three whole eggs and three yolks only.
- Add 1–2 tablespoons of rose water and 1–2 tablespoons of sweet sherry (as a substitute for sack) to the egg mixture.
- Combine the eggs, bread-soaked cream, 4 heaped tablespoons (about 1¾ oz) of plain flour, 4 tablespoons (about 1¾ oz) of sugar, and 8 oz beef suet, finely shredded.
- Optionally, rub in 4 oz unsalted butter into the flour, as one would for a traditional British 'tansy' pudding, and mix into the batter for richness.
- Stir the mixture well until it’s thick—aiming for a texture that holds its shape, about 1 inch thick.
- Heat a generous knob of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Spoon the pudding mixture into the pan and fry until the bottom is golden brown—about 5 minutes.
- Invert onto a plate and add more butter to the pan if needed, then slide the pudding back in to brown the other side.
- Serve warm, possibly with a sprinkle of sugar on top.
Estimated Calories
450 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and soak the bread. Cooking the pudding in the pan takes about 10-12 minutes total. The recipe makes about 8 servings, and each serving is estimated to have around 450 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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