Iced Plum-pudding

Ingredients

• 2 dozen sweet almonds
• 2 dozen bitter almonds
• ¼ pound bloom raisins
• ¼ pound Zante currants
• 3 ounces citron, diced
• ½ pint rich milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 pint rich cream
• ¼ pound powdered loaf sugar
• 1 small nutmeg, grated
• pounded almonds
• ⅓ cup marasquino, noyau, curacao, or brandy
• 8 egg yolks
• preserved strawberries or raspberries

Directions

1. Blanch sweet and bitter almonds in boiling water, then cool in cold water.

2. Pound almonds in a mortar, alternating sweet and bitter, adding rose-water or lemon juice to keep them light.

3. Seed and halve the raisins, then mix with washed and dried currants and diced citron, dredging with flour.

4. Boil the split vanilla bean in the milk to extract flavor, then strain and mix with cream, sugar, and grated nutmeg.

5. Stir in the pounded almonds and the chosen liqueur.

6. Beat egg yolks until light and smooth, then gradually stir into the mixture.

7. Simmer the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, and remove just before boiling to prevent curdling.

8. While hot, stir in the raisins, currants, and citron, then let cool.

9. Add preserved strawberries or raspberries before serving.