A Shaking Pudding

This pudding recipe comes from a manuscript dated circa 1700, a time when English households delighted in 'boiled' or 'shaken' puddings—soft, custard-like desserts served hot. The recipe hails from a world before ovens were common, and pudding meant something very different from what it does today—think of it as a wobbly, rich, and highly spiced custard, cooked in a water bath or directly in a pot, intended for special occasions or gracious tables. Such sweet, spiced dairy puddings were all the rage in upper-class English cookery, their fragrant spices signifying both affluence and a well-traveled palate.

The cook of 1700 would have boiled the cream in a heavy, possibly brass or tinned copper pot over an open hearth or stove. Eggs would be beaten by hand with a whisk or fork. The pudding itself would have been set in a ceramic or pewter dish (sometimes lined with cloth), rubbed with suet or butter and a dusting of flour to prevent sticking. The dish would then be placed in a larger saucepan or boiler half-filled with simmering water—a rustic bain-marie—cooked over gentle heat. A wooden spoon or paddle would have been essential for careful stirring, ensuring the pudding thickened smoothly and didn’t catch at the bottom.