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
• preserved apricots

Directions

1. Blanch the sweet and bitter almonds in boiling water, then transfer to cold water.

2. Pound the almonds one at a time in a mortar until smooth, adding rose-water or lemon juice to keep them light.

3. Seed and halve the raisins, then mix with the currants and dredge with flour.

4. Boil the milk with split vanilla bean until flavored, then strain and mix with cream, sugar, and grated nutmeg.

5. Add the pounded almonds and the chosen liqueur to the mixture.

6. Beat the 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.

8. Stir in the raisins, currants, and citron while hot, then let cool.

9. Finally, add preserved strawberries or raspberries and preserved apricots.