English Plum Pudding

This dessert is traditionally served at Christmastime.

Ingredients

Pudding

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/4 cup cut up candied fruit peel
• 1/4 cup cut up candied cherries
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 cup (4 ounces) ground kidney suet
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
• Hard Sauce

Hard Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons brandy

Instructions

Pudding

1. Mix flour, spices, baking soda and salt.
2. Stir in fruit, walnuts and bread crumbs.
3. Mix suet, brown sugar, eggs and 1 tablespoon brandy; stir into flour mixture.
4. Pour into a well-greased 4 cup mold; cover with aluminum foil.
5. Place mold on rack in a Dutch oven; pour boiling water into the Dutch oven to rack level.
6. Cover and boil over low heat until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 3 hours, adding boiling water if necessary.
7. Remove mold from the Dutch oven; unmold.
8. Heat 1/4 cup brandy until warm; ignite and pour over pudding.
9. Serve with Hard Sauce.

Hard Sauce

1. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar and brandy until smooth.

Attribution

Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / MillefloreImages