Part 3/9:
The recipe we refer to comes from Isabella Beeton's "The Book of Household Management," and mirrors a period when the culinary community grappled with defining this delicacy. Here, Beeton retains the term “pudding” while presenting a dish bearing clear tart characteristics, drawing an analogy to transitional fossils in paleontology—though with an added sprinkle of sugar.
The recipe specifies a very rich Bakewell pudding, instructing to cover a dish with thin pastry, spread a generous layer of jam, and layer it all beneath a custard-like filling enriched with the flavor of almonds. Beeton even adds a monetary context: the average cost for making this dish once stood at one shilling sixpence, adding a unique touch to the historical culinary narrative.