How to Make Almond and Potato Pudding — The Victorian Way

Buy your copy of our ’Victorian Way’ cookery book: Mrs Crocombe has been busy preparing the perfect winter side-dish for the Braybrookes’ table: Almond and Potato Pudding. Avis copied this recipe down from a book by Anne Eliza Griffiths first published in 1864, aimed at ’the moderate and economical, yet reasonably luxurious, housekeeper.’ No wonder then that it appealed to Mrs Crocombe, who was likely working as cook-housekeeper to a baronet at the time. English Heritage is a charity that cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites. Find out how you can support our work here: Visit Audley End House and Gardens for yourself: INGREDIENTS 170 g/6 oz/1⁄2 cup cooked mashed potato (without skin) 115 g/4 oz/generous 1 cup ground almonds 285 ml/1⁄2 pt/11⁄4 cups milk Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 115 g/4 oz/1⁄2 cup butter, plus extra for the mould Pinch of ground nutmeg 5 eggs, separated 1⁄4 tsp cream of tartar or squeeze of lemon juice (optional) Salt Chopped almonds, to decorate lemon slices, to serve (optional) METHOD (from the Victorian Way cookery book) If you do not have any cold mashed potato to hand, start by peeling, dicing and mashing some potatoes and allowing them to cool. Put the ground almonds in a saucepan with the milk, lemon zest and juice, and butter. Warm until the butter is melted and the milk is blood-warm, and mix well. Remove from the heat and stir in the mash. Add the nutmeg and a good pinch of salt, together with the egg yolks. Mix well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks (the cream of tartar or a squeeze of lemon juice will help). Fold the eggs gently into the potato mix. Butter an 850 ml/11⁄2 pt/31⁄2 cups mould or 900 g/2 lb loaf tin and pour in the mixture. Give it a couple of gentle taps to settle it. Bake in the oven for 1 hour until light brown and set through. Invert onto a wire cooling rack, demould, decorate the top with chopped almonds and serve hot, surrounded by lemon slices (optional). You can also leave it to cool in the mould for 1 hour before turning it out, slicing it, sprinkling it with a little flour and frying it in a little butter. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: FIND A PLACE TO VISIT: LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: