HFF #19: Something Borrowed, Something Blue

The Challenge: Make a dish that features a borrowed ingredient and/or a dish which is blue.

The Receipt: Batter Pudding (with blueberries) from Sarah Josepha Hale's The New Household Receipt-Book, page 531.

"Batter Pudding.-- Take six ounces of fine flour, a little salt, and three eggs; beat it up well with a little milk, added by degrees till the batter is quite smooth: make it the thickness of cream: put it into a buttered pie dish, and bake three quarters of an hour; or, in a buttered and floured basin, tied over tight with a cloth: boil one hour and a half or two hours.

Any kind of ripe fruit that you like may be added to the batter--only you must make the batter a little stiffer. Blue berries, or finely chopped apple, are most usually liked."

Region/Year: English, 1854

How Did You Make It: Beat 6 oz. flour, 1/8 tsp salt and 3 eggs together, added (about 1/4-1/2 cup) skim milk to desired consistency, stirred in blue berries (about 3 oz). Baked 350F for 45 min in a buttered pie tin.

Time to Complete: Less than an hour, including 45 min baking time.

Total Cost: $4 for blueberries (out of season); other ingredients to hand

How Successful Was It: Yes? It baked very nicely all through, winding up like a thick pancake or less-dense sponge cake. What's weird is the lack of sweetness; also, with so few ingredients, the egg flavor comes through a bit. I can't imagine making this without the optional fruit, and next time I would perhaps add extra for additional flavor and sweetness.

How Accurate Was It: Followed to a nicety, but did use an electric mixer.