It is best to prepare the ingredients the day before and cover closely.

CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING. (By Measure.)

One cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one heaping cupful of sugar, one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of well-washed currants, one cupful of chopped blanched almonds, half a cupful of citron, sliced thin, a teaspoonful of salt, one of cloves, two of cinnamon, half a grated nutmeg and four well-beaten eggs.  Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water.  Flour the fruit thoroughly from a pint of flour; then mix the remainder as follows:  In a large bowl put the well-beaten eggs, sugar, spices and salt in one cupful of milk.  Stir in the fruit, chopped nuts, bread crumbs and suet, one after the other, until all are used, putting in the dissolved soda last and adding enough flour to make the fruit stick together, which will take all the pint.  Boil or steam four hours.  Serve with wine or brandy or any well-flavored sauce.

BAKED PLUM PUDDING.

It will be found best to prepare the ingredients the day before and cover closely.  Grate a loaf of stale bread, or enough for a pint of crumbs; boil one quart of milk and turn boiling hot over the grated bread; cover and let steep an hour; in the meantime pick, soak and dry half a pound of currants, half a pound of raisins, a quarter of a pound of citron cut in large slips, one nutmeg, one tablespoonful of mace and cinnamon mixed, one cupful of sugar, with half of a cupful of butter; when the bread is ready mix with it the butter, sugar, spice and citron, adding a glassful of white wine; beat eight eggs very light, and when the mixture is quite cold, stir them gradually in; then add by degrees the raisins and currants dredged with flour; stir the whole very hard; put it into a buttered dish; bake two hours, send to the table warm.  Eat with wine sauce, or wine and sugar.  Most excellent.

PLUM PUDDING, WITHOUT EGGS.

This delicious, light pudding is made by stirring thoroughly together the following ingredients:  One cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one cupful of molasses, one of chopped raisins, one of well-washed currants, one spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful each of cloves, cinnamon, allspice and carbonate of soda, one cupful of milk and flour enough to make a stiff batter.  Put into a well-greased pudding-mold, or a three-quart pail and cover closely.  Set this pail into a larger kettle, close covered, and half full of boiling water, adding boiling water as it boils away.  Steam not less than four hours.  This pudding is sure to be a success, and is quite rich for one containing neither eggs nor butter.  One-half of the above amount is more than eight persons would be able to eat, but it is equally good some days later, steamed again for an hour, if kept closely covered meantime.  Serve with wine sauce or common sweet sauce.