Watch our historic foodways staff cook this recipe, then try it at home
This recipe is similar to a chess pie or a pecan pie without the pecans. It has all the classic characteristics of a pudding: eggs, sugar and butter, baked in a single crust.
18th Century
Beat eight Eggs very well, and put them in a Pan with half a Pound of Butter, and the same weight of Loaf Sugar beat very fine, a little grated Nutmeg, set it on the Fire and keep stirring it ‘till it thickens like buttered Eggs, then put it in a Basin to cool, roll a rich puff Paste very thin, lay it round the Edge of a China Dish, then pour in the Pudding, and bake it in a moderate Oven half an Hour, it will cut light and clear. It is a pretty Pudding for a Corner for Dinner and Middle for Supper.
— Raffald, Elizabeth. “The Experienced English Housekeeper” pg.149
21st Century
Ingredients
- 8 Grade A Large eggs
- 2 4-oz. sticks unsalted butter
- puff pastry to line 9” pie plate
- 1 1/8 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. Nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat the eggs till they are light in color using a whisk or an electric mixer.
- Place eggs in saucepan with 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 1/8 cup of sugar, and the two sticks of butter that have been cut into small pieces. Cook on medium low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and place mixture in a bowl and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare puff pastry or use frozen puff pastry sheets (follow package directions for thawing), and line a 9” glass pie pan, trimming excess pastry from edge of pan.
- Pour cooled filling into pie pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until pudding mixture is set and crust is brown around the edges. Turn off the oven and leave the pudding in the oven for an additional 10 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.
- This pudding is best served at room temperature. Be sure to allow pudding to cool completely before cutting into slices.