Table Talk's illustrated cook book

ten Two or more large ones, or any number of small ones, may be used. The old-time way was to use pint earthen bowls tied over with pudding cloths, and earthen or granite bowls or molds are preferable, because the puddings can be set away in them, while they must be turned out of tin. Now that individual molds are so fashionable, the small three-ounce jars in which beef extract is put up can be used to advantage. If in large molds the puddings should be steamed steadily for eight hours ; three to four hours will do for individual puddings. When cold they should be set away or hung in a cold, dry place, and when needed for use they are to be again steamed for from one to two hours, according to size. Thrust into the top of the steaming pudding a sprig of holly, lay round it a ring of cube sugar, each piece dipped in alcohol, set fire to the sugar and send blazing to the table. ■P Mk k^^^r^ tmitBf^^ ^^ ^^B ' td S©^* \ ^^^ INDIVIDUAL CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS. A SPICE PUDDING STEAMED IN ROUND BOTTOMED CUPS IF ONE DOES NOT POSSESS THE SMALL BOMB MOLDS. WILL PROVE AN ATTRACTIVE DESSERT FOR THE CHRISTMAS DINNER. LARGE FRENCH PRUNES ARE COOKED; THEN- STUFFED WITH MARSHMALLOWS; DIPPED INTO BRANDY, PLACED ON EACH PUDDING AND IGNITED JUST AS TIIEY ARE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. INDIAN MEAL PUDDING WITH APPLE WHIP THE OLD-TIME INDIAN OR CORNMEAL PUDDING IS AS POPULAR TO-DAY AS EVER. THE NEWEST DISH FOR IT IS OF THE PRETTY BROWN AND WHITE, GRACEFUL IN SHAPE, WITH TWO PROJECTING HANDLES AND THREE TINY FEET. AS AN ADDED GARNITURE WE SHOW SUCH A PUDDING FINISHED WITH APPLE WHIP DROPPED ON AT INTERVALS ROUND THE EDGE AND ON EACH DOT OF WHIP A CANDIED CHERRY. BAKED INDIAN PUDDING. Mix one scant cupful of corn meal with sufficient cold water to make a paste, stir it into one quart of milk and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring often. Stand aside for ten minutes, then stir in one teaspoonful of salt, one-half a teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one cupful of molasses and one cupful of finely chopped beef suet. Turn into a baking dish, mix and pour over the top two cupfuls of cold milk and one cupful of cold water. Do not stir, but place in a moderate oven and bake very slowly for four hours. RICE AND TAPIOCA PUDDING. A variation of the usual rice pudding calls for equal quantities of riCe and tapioca — one-half of a cupful of each. Cook in a double boiler in three pints of milk until the tapioca is transparent, then add one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg. Bake this in a moderate oven for three hours, adding more milk if necessary. STRAWBERRY SPONGE. One-third of a box of gelatine is soaked in three tablespoonfuls of cold water until soft. An equal amount of boiling water is added to one cupful of sugar and cooked until the sugar is dissolved, when the gelatine is added, and it is taken from the fire, strained, and one tablespoonful of lemon juice and one STRAWBERRY SPONGE. cupful of Strawberry juice added. As it chills and thickens the whites of three eggs are beaten until stiff and dry and one cupful and a half of thick cream beaten to a solid froth. These are lightly mixed with the partly thickened liquid and all whisked together until spongy and quite stiff. Turn into a mold decorated with whole strawberries and set away until chilled. JUNKET WITH PUREE OF BANANAS.