Bird’s Nest Pudding- January 2018 Recipe of the Month

Bird’s Nest Pudding
Recipes for Bird’s Nest Pudding, or Crow’s Nest Pudding as it was sometimes called, were popular in the late 18th century. In the fall when apples would be readily available to housewives, they would make fresh apple pie, apple sauce, apple butter, and recipes like this one. Extra apples might be stored in root cellars or sliced and dried for future pies.

I’ve been unable to come up with the origin for the name of this pudding but if I had to guess I’d say it’s because the finished pudding does somewhat resemble baby birds in a nest.

Bird’s Nest Pudding
12 apples
4 c. milk
1 stick cinnamon
5 eggs
½ c. brown sugar
¼ tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
¼ tsp salt

• Scald milk with cinnamon stick and set aside until cool. When ready to proceed, remove cinnamon stick.
• Beat eggs, add brown sugar, spices, salt, and cooled milk.
• Core the apples but do not peel them. Place 6 apples each in two 9-inch baking dishes and pour ½ of custard mixture into each dish.
• Bake in 325 degree oven for 45 minutes or when a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean. The custard will continue cooking after removed from the oven and will become more firm as it cools. Makes about 12 servings.

Here is a fun video on Bird’s Nest Pudding from the folks at Old Sturbridge Village: