Pudingo
"Pudingo"
From the treasured pages of Novisimo arte de cocina
Written by Alejandro Valdes
Pudingo
"102. Pudingo. A dos reales de leche, cuatro reales de mamon desigajado, un real de tuetano de vaca, ocho yemas de huevo y veinte y cuatro claras; la azucar correspondiente y media onza de canela en polvo: bien incorporado todo esto, se unta el platon ó cazuela con bastante mantequilla, y se echa, para que puesto entrefuegos tome el cocimiento necesario, adornándolo despues con pasas, almendras y grajea."
English Translation
"102. Pudingo. For every two reales of milk, four reales of mamón (breadfruit) shredded, one real of beef marrow, eight egg yolks, and twenty-four egg whites; the corresponding amount of sugar and half an ounce of ground cinnamon: once everything is well mixed, grease the dish or casserole well with plenty of butter, then pour in the mixture so that, placed over the fire, it cooks as needed. Afterwards, decorate with raisins, almonds, and sugar sprinkles."
Note on the Original Text
Recipes of the early 19th century were written for experienced cooks, often omitting specific instructions, times, and temperatures. Measurements, such as 'reales' and 'onza,' reflected local trading standards not standardized in modern weights: 1 real (about 3.45g for silver, but here indicating about 40g), and 'onza' (28.35g), required cooks to estimate quantities. Orthography was not yet standardized: 'mamon desigajado' refers to torn sponge cake or soft bread. Directions are brisk, assuming familiarity with typical pudding-making procedures, and rely on visual cues ('cuando tome el cocimiento necesario') instead of precise timing.
Title
Novisimo arte de cocina (1831)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Alejandro Valdes
Era
1831
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful 19th century cookbook offering a medley of recipes curated to be prepared in multiple enticing styles—perfect for the adventurous home chef with refined tastes.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
Pudingo appears in Alejandro Valdés's "Novisimo arte de cocina" published in 1831, a pivotal moment when Spanish colonial and European culinary traditions mingled with local Mexican ingredients and tastes. Written for affluent kitchens, recipes from this period showcased luxurious ingredients like beef marrow and lavish use of eggs, common in classical Spanish desserts but now approaching the era of the European soufflé and English bread puddings. Cooks of the day were adept at adapting and embellishing recipes, resulting in cross-cultural hybrids such as this rich, eggy bread pudding.
The original recipe would have been prepared in a large earthenware or heavy ceramic cazuela or a deep, wide platon (dish). Mixing was done by hand, likely with simple wooden spoons or whisks. Baking took place over a wood-fired hearth or in a masonry oven, with careful regulation of heat by placing coals above and below the vessel to ensure even cooking. Decoration was added with ingredients laid out artistically after baking, showcasing both skill and status.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Servings
12
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
- 2 cups whole milk
- 5.5 oz soft white bread, torn into pieces (approx. 4 cups loosely packed) — substitute for 'mamon desigajado'
- 1.5 oz beef marrow, melted (substitute: clarified butter if unavailable)
- 8 egg yolks
- 24 egg whites
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
- 1/2 oz (about 2 tbsp) ground cinnamon
- Butter, for greasing the dish
- Raisins, for decoration
- Almonds, chopped, for decoration
- Candied dragée (or colorful sprinkles), for decoration
Instructions
- To prepare Pudingo in a modern kitchen, begin by soaking torn pieces of soft white bread (approx.
- 5.5 oz) in 2 cups of milk until thoroughly saturated.
- In a saucepan, gently melt 1.5 oz of beef marrow (or substitute with clarified unsalted butter if marrow cannot be sourced), then let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 8 egg yolks and 24 egg whites with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 oz ground cinnamon until lightly frothy.
- Fold in the soaked bread and melted marrow until well combined.
- Generously butter a large ovenproof dish or casserole, pour in the pudding mixture, and bake in a medium oven (about 325°F, preferably in a bain-marie for gentler, even heat) until set and lightly golden, roughly 45-60 minutes.
- After baking, decorate the surface with raisins, chopped almonds, and colorful candied dragée.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Estimated Calories
215 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Prep time is how long you need to gather and mix the ingredients before baking. Cook time is the time spent in the oven. Each serving has about 215 calories and this recipe makes 12 servings.
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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