Alexis Soyer was a master chef in Victorian times who wrote cookery books for the poor. Here are variations on two of his economical Christmas dessert recipes.
Alexis Soyer rose to fame in the mid 1800s as a brilliant chef to the elite of society and also inventor of army camp stoves to help military personnel cook their rations and soup kitchen equipment to help feed the poor of London and Dublin. He wrote several cookery books for the rich and the poor. These two Christmas dessert recipes have been based on a modernised version of his recipes.
Steamed Christmas Pudding
Ingredients:
- 4 oz raisins
- 4oz sultanas
- 8oz currants
- 8oz suet
- 2oz caster sugar
- 2 oz flour
- 8oz breadcrumbs
- 12 almonds, chopped and blanched
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 oz candied peel
- ½ oz freshly grated lemon peel
- 4 eggs
- 2.5 fl oz brandy
- 2.5 fl oz milk
Method:
- Put all the dried ingredients into a large bowl and mix well
- Beat together four eggs and add them to the dried ingredients with the brandy and milk then stir until nicely combined into a dough type mixture
- Lightly butter a pudding basin and line the bottom with a piece of baking parchment or greaseproof paper (this will help prevent the mixture sticking to the bowl)
- Fill the pudding basin with the pudding mixture and smooth it out with a spoon
- Cover the basin by tying a clean cloth or some greaseproof paper over the top of it
- Place the pudding basin in a saucepan on the hob and fill the saucepan with water until about two thirds of the basin is covered
- Bring the water to the boil and gently steam the pudding for two hours or so, making sure the water level is kept refilled
- The pudding is done when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean
- Allow the pudding to rest in the basin for five minutes or so when it has finished cooking before turning out on to a plate
- Serve hot with custard, cream or brandy butter
Quick and Easy Boxing Day Swiss Roll and Sauce Dessert
Ingredients:
- 2 raspberry swiss (or jelly) rolls
- 4 tbsp raspberry jam (or jelly)
- 8 tbsp dry sherry
Method:
- Slice the swiss rolls into pieces about half an inch thick
- Arrange decoratively on an oven proof plate in two overlapping layers
- Put in a preheated oven, gas mark 4, 175 C 350 F for ten minutes to heat through
- When the swiss roll is heating through in the oven, put the raspberry jam and sherry in a saucepan and heat gently so the jam dissolves and mixes into a sauce with the sherry
- Once the swiss roll is heated through, pour the sauce over it gently and serve immediately
Source:
Soyer’s Shilling Cookery for the People 1860
The copyright of the article Alexis Soyer's Economical Christmas Recipes in Winter Recipes is owned by Elaine Findlay. Permission to republish Alexis Soyer's Economical Christmas Recipes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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