The Alpistera is a Spanish cruller, shaped like the five fingers united at the wrist.
PLAIN DESSERTS.
MOLASSES PUDDING.—
Sift into a pan a large quart of yellow indian meal. Simmer over the fire a quart of milk, a pint of West India molasses, stirred in while the milk is hot. Put the milk and molasses into a large pan, and mix gradually into them the corn meal while they are quite warm. Add a large table-spoonful of ground ginger, and a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Beat the whole mixture long and hard, for on that will chiefly depend the lightness of the pudding, as it has neither eggs, butter, nor yeast. If your batter seems too thin, add, gradually, a little more corn meal; if too thick, a little more milk and molasses.
Dip in hot water a large square pudding cloth. Spread it out in a pan, dredge it well with flour, and then pour the pudding-mixture into it. Tie it up, making the string very secure, but leave plenty of room between the batter and the tying place, for the pudding to swell in boiling, at least one-third. Put the pudding, directly, into a large pot, and keep it steadily boiling for about three hours. Corn meal requires long cooking. Turn the pudding twice with a fork. If the water boils away too much, replenish it from a tea-kettle of hot water, kept boiling for the purpose. If you pour in cold water the pudding will become hard and heavy, and be totally spoiled. Do not turn it out and send it to table till wanted at dinner. Then dip it for a moment in cold water, untie the string, and transfer it to a dish with a cover. Eat it with molasses and butter; or make a sauce of drawn butter, flavored with wine and nutmeg.
This pudding, if properly mixed, well beaten, and well boiled, will be as light as if made with eggs, (the West India molasses having that property) and it will cut down rough or open grained, like a very light sponge cake, unless the batter has been made too thick and stiff, and not sufficiently beaten, and not allowed space enough to swell in boiling. If made too thin, or not boiled well, the pudding will come out a soft, shapeless mass. But if all is carefully managed, this (the least costly of American puddings) will be found excellent for a plain table, and perfectly wholesome. The flavor will be much improved by adding to the cinnamon and ginger the grated yellow rind and juice of an orange or lemon. If your first attempt at this pudding is a failure, try it again—practice makes perfect.
For a large family, have two quarts of corn meal, two quarts of milk, and one quart of West India molasses; two table-spoonfuls of ginger, and one of cinnamon.
What is left may be tied in a cloth, and boiled over again next day, for half an hour or longer.
