SUET PUDDING WITH PEARS

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound Butter (or vegetable shortening) (Originally suet. Substituted with butter for modern preference. Can also use vegetable shortening for similar texture.)
• 1 loaf Stale bread
• 2 large Large eggs
• 1 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
• as needed All-purpose flour (Quantity estimated (not specified in original recipe))
• 2 teaspoons Baking powder
• 1/2 peck Cooking pears
• 1 medium Sliced lemon
• 3 whole Cloves
• 1 piece Cinnamon bark
• 3 tablespoons Syrup
• as needed Cold water (Quantity estimated (not specified in original recipe))

Instructions

1. 1Chop the butter into a powder. Soak the stale bread in water, squeeze out the excess water, and add it to the butter. Work the bread and butter well with your hands until combined. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Mix well.
2. 2Add flour to the mixture, enough to form a large ball. Sift the baking powder into the flour before adding.
3. 3Pare the cooking pears and cut them in halves, leaving the stems on. Place half of the pears in a large kettle. Put the pudding mixture in the center of the pears, and arrange the rest of the pears around it.
4. 4Add sugar, sliced lemon, cloves, cinnamon bark, and syrup to the kettle. Fill the kettle with cold water. Bring to a boil on top of the stove and boil for 30 minutes.
5. 5Transfer the kettle to an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C). Bake for at least 3 hours, adding water if needed to prevent the pudding from drying out.