Peach Pudding

Aunt Babette's Cookbook: Foreign and domestic receipts for the household: A valuable collection of receipts and hints for the housewife, many of which are not to be found elsewhere, by "Aunt Babette" [1889]

PEACH PUDDING.
LINE the bottom of a pudding dish with stale sponge or cup cake and shave enough peaches to cover thickly (you may use preserves orcompote instead). Sprinkle a cupful of pulverized sugar over the fruit.Now let a pint of milk get boiling hot by setting it in a pot of boiling water. Add the yelks of three eggs, well beaten, one tablespoonful ofcornstarch, made smooth with a little cold milk, and stir it all the time. As soon as thickened, pour over the fruit. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, adding a tablespoonful of sugar, and spread over the top for frosting. Set it in the oven for a few minutes to harden. Eat cold, with or without cream.

Verdict: I had a bunch of peaches from my mother's tree, a wedge of strawberry birthday cake my mother in law brought me, and some leftover key lime poke cake my mother made for a party.  These leftovers put it in the best tradition of trifles.  The lime and strawberry was a little weird, but whatever.  I thought the lack of sugar in the custard would be weird too, but there's so much nonsense going on here that it wasn't noticeable.  I thought it was very attractive and pretty tasty.  The kids picked at it and husband had one bite.  I recommend using one flavor of a plainly flavored cake.