Was Bakewell pudding invented 30 years earlier than thought?
AN old cookery book could hold the secret to the origins of the world-famous Bakewell pudding – and prove it was invented earlier than believed.
The handwritten recipe from 1837 was discovered by archivists at Derbyshire County Council Record Office – almost 30 years earlier than when it was thought to have been first made accidentally at the Rutland Arms in the town.
The Bakewell pudding recipe appears on page 95 of a cookery book compiled by Clara Palmer-Morewood, who lived at Alfreton Hall, and is among more than 100 other recipes and medicinal cures.
The council paid £265 for the book, to add it to the Palmer-Morewood family archives collection, and then discovered the recipe.
Archives manager Sarah Chubb made the pudding for staff to try and said: “It was delicious and very easy to make.
“Given that it has its own mythology surrounding it, discovering what could be the earliest dated recipe is brilliant for us.”
The Bakewell pudding’s origins are controversial and it is believed it could date back to the Middle Ages.
In an 1845 book, cook Eliza Acton has a recipe which includes a rich custard of egg yolks, butter and sugar.
But popular belief states it was created by accident in the 1860s by the landlady of Bakewell’s Rutland Arms, Ann Greaves.
She is reported to have left an inexperienced cook to make a strawberry tart for important guests. A mistake made when adding the sugar and eggs created the pudding sold in the Peak District town today.
Newspaper reports of the Bakewell pudding, dating back to the 1830s and 1840s, also exist, leading to more confusion about its origins.
Clara’s recipe contains dried raisins, almonds and candied peel in the base of the pudding, although she does recommend using jam instead, as is more commonly found in today’s puddings.
Early Bakewell Pudding Recipe
As seen in Saturday’s Daily Mail, here is the recipe for a Bakewell Pudding discovered in the recipe book of Clara Palmer-Morewood, one time resident of Alfreton Hall. Dated as it is in 1837 it is possibly the first ever documented version of the almond dessert which local legend claims was invented by accident in the 1860s. Why not have a go at making the famous local dish yourself to this unique 1837 recipe? And don’t forget to let us know how you get on, and send your pictures in.
It reads: “Lay a Puff paste over a tin, open tart mould, put into it two dozen raisins stoned and chopped fine (Dryed cherries would be better) Almonds cut thin, candied orange peel, or any kind of Preserve. Beat well the yolks of four eggs, & the white of one, add ¼ lb of clarified butter, & some powdered sugar, beat all together & fill up the mould with the mixture, (Lemon would improve it) bake it in a slow oven – to be eaten cold & sprinkled over with powdered sugar. 1837?
We will be adding more recipes from Clara’s book (including some medicinal and gardening ”recipes”) over the coming weeks, so keep an eye for more delicious dishes to try your hand at
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