The online magazine
dedicated to the
discussion & revival
of British foodways.

NO.72
FALL/WINTER2023

Florence Petty’s golden pudding.

Miss Petty was not known as the Pudding Lady for nothing. During the first four decades of the twentieth century she published recipes for the working poor. No fancy ingredients like Madeira for Miss Petty; the homeliest must do, and they will do this homely preparation proud. The golden pudding would have been particularly useful; it requires little time to prepare (although requires 2-3 hours to boil), uses only a few inexpensive ingredients, is quite nearly foolproof and tastes good. It is not a particularly sweet pudding--no sugar other than the bittersweet marmalade--and ironically enough will appeal to the sophisticated as well as subsistence palate. Four servings for the moderate diner, two for the ravenous.


  • mold020.jpg1¼ lb breadcrumbs
  • 3 oz suet
  • 3 Tablespoons marmalade
  • 1 beaten egg
  • zest and juice of a lemon
  • butter to grease a small pudding basin or sturdy bowl

 

  1. Mix together everything but the butter.
  2. Grease a basin or bowl with generosity, then spoon the batter within.
  3. Cover the basin, either with its own cover or with pleated foil or parchment paper.
  4. Boil the pudding in a covered pot for as little as two or as much as three hours.

Notes:

-Miss Petty, ever thrifty, gives her reader the option to substitute margarine for the suet. Do not take her up on the offer: Both the flavor and texture will prove stodgy.

-Any marmalade will do, but orange is the classic.  There are a number of excellent British brands, including James Keillor as well as Wilkin & Sons, whose Tiptree Tawny marmalade is particularly good. American marmalades, however, tend to be unacceptably sweet and bland.

-A sweet conserve or preserve might replace the bitter marmalade; apricot, raspberry or strawberry will do good service, but the bitter tone of marmalade is, to the Editor’s taste, the best.