Ice Pudding

This frozen dessert comes from the “England” section of the 1911 cookbook Banquets of the Nations, representing a quintessential late Victorian and Edwardian era delicacy–a showstopping finale to formal dinner parties during this period.

Ice Pudding combines a rich custard base with a medley of luxury ingredients. The foundation is a smooth custard made with milk, egg yolks, and sugar. This frozen base is then mixed with an array of additions: chopped dried fruits, vibrant green pistachio nuts, and finely minced candied citron or lemon peel for color and texture. The dessert is elevated with a generous pour of Maraschino liqueur and brandy, then lightened with whipped cream before being molded into an impressive shape for serving.

Ice Puddings gained popularity in 19th century England as ice became more readily available through improved storage and transportation methods. They represented the height of culinary sophistication, appearing frequently at upper-class Victorian and Edwardian dinner parties. The inclusion of expensive imported ingredients like Maraschino liqueur (a clear cherry-flavored spirit from Dalmatia, now part of Croatia) and pistachio nuts demonstrated both wealth and cosmopolitan taste. The molded presentation was particularly important in this era of elaborate dining, with puddings often frozen in ornate copper or pewter molds in the shape of fruits, flowers, or classical figures. When unmolded at the table, these desserts created a theatrical dining experience typical of fashionable Edwardian entertaining.

Unlike modern ice cream, these puddings had a texture more akin to semifreddo or parfait, as they were prepared without continuous churning. The addition of alcohol not only flavored the dessert but kept it from freezing too hard, giving it a luxurious, semi-soft consistency perfect for elegant dining.

• 1 ½ pints milk
• 5 eggs
• ¼ lb. sugar
• ¼ lb. dried fruits
• 1 oz. pistachio nuts
• 1 oz. candied citron, or lemon peel
• 2 oz. Maraschino
• 1 oz. brandy
• ½ pint whipped cream

One pint and a half of milk, yolks of four eggs, one whole egg, quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, quarter of a pound of dried fruits, one ounce of pistachio nuts, one ounce of candied citron, chopped fine ; one glassful of Maraschino, half a glassful of brandy, and half a pint of whipped cream.

Make a custard with the eggs and milk, adding the sugar to the milk. Strain it, and when cold, put it into the freezing pot ; when half frozen, add the dried fruits cut in pieces, candied peel, pistachios, Maraschino, etc., and, lastly, the whipped cream. When frozen, pack into your pudding mould.