Best Hard Sauce Used With Baked Plum Pudding Recipes

NANA'S TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS STEAMED PLUM PUDDING WITH HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the molasses, butter, milk, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Next, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions. Toss candied fruit and raisins lightly with flour to prevent sinking and add to batter. Stir in brandy.
• Pour into a greased and sugared steam pudding mold and place on a rack in a large covered pot with water that comes halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover and steam for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water hasn't boiled out. Let cool for 5 minutes on a rack before turning out. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a sprig of holly and Hard Sauce.
• Beat all ingredients together until very well combined. Serve with pudding.

DIANA'S PLUM PUDDING (PLUM PUDDING OF INFAMY)

Steps:

• Butter and flour inside of Bundt pan.
• Remove crusts and ends of the loaf; reserve for another use, if desired.
• Divide slices of bread into three even, separate piles.
• Cut the first third of bread slices diagonally into fourths (to make 4 triangles).
• Arrange these triangles in bottom of Bundt pan, fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle to completely cover the bottom and sides of pan.
• Arrange 1/2 of the drained plum halves cut-side down on top of bread triangles in the bottom of the pan.
• Top the plums with one cup of raisins sprinkled evenly around the layer.
• Sprinkle with ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Pour ½ cup melted butter over all.
• Cut another third of the bread into triangles, and layer it over the plums and raisins.
• Top that layer of bread with the remaining plum halves, raisins, ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
• Use the last third of bread,cut into triangles, to cover the ingredients int he bundt pan.
• Use clean hands to GENTLY press down on bread to compress the ingredients and pack them into the pan, and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Place Bundt pan on baking sheet with sides.
• In a separate large bowl, beat eggs thoroughly, then add cream and mix inches.
• Slowly pour egg mixture over top of pan, allowing it to soak into bread layers, being careful not to overfill pan (I used a bamboo skewer to open channels along edges of pan to let more egg mixture seep down. As it soaks in you can add more mixture.).
• Sprinkle nutmeg over top and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Place Bundt pan with baking pan in oven for 70 minutes.
• Let cool for 20 minutes.
• Turn out onto serving platter or cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Bring to room temperature before serving (or warm individual slices in microwave).
• Dust with powdered sugar.
• For sauce:.
• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Beat in 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon liquor OR milk.
• Repeat with remaining sugar and liquor OR milk.
• Beat until smooth and thick, but pourable.
• Store covered in refrigerator.
• Let stand at room temperature for ½ hour before serving.
• Drizzle pudding with hard sauce, soft sauce, or top with ice cream before serving.

CARROT PLUM PUDDING WITH HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all dry ingredients in bowl.
• Toss raisins and walnuts into flour mixture.
• Break eggs into a large bowl.
• Beat well.
• Gradually add melted butter, continueing to beat.
• Stir in flour mixture, grated carrots, and grated potatoes.
• Pour into well greased 6 cup pudding mold or large heat-proof bowl.
• Cover tightly with a double layer of foil, securing with a string.
• Place on wire rack in the bottom of a deep pot or canning kettle.
• Add boiling water to the pot until it reaches half way up the side of the mold.
• Steam over low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until tester inserted into pudding comes out clean and top of pudding is firm to the touch.
• Check water level in pot occasionally, adding more boiling water if needed.
• Remove foil from mold.
• Let pudding rest in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
• When completely cool, wrap in foil and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in freezer.
• If frozen, let thaw before heating.
• To reheat, return pudding to mold, cover and steam for about 1 hour or until heated through.
• Serve warm with hard sauce.
• For hard sauce:.
• Thoroughly Cream butter and sifted confectioners sugar together.
• Add 1-2 teaspoons vanilla (or rum or brandy) and beat well.
• Spread in 8x8" pan and place in refrigerator to harden.
• Cut into small squares to serve on warm slices of the pudding.
• The hard sauce could also be chilled in individual butter molds; or a bowl to be spooned onto the pudding in lumps.
• Note: For a dramatic entrance, just before serving, I soak a few sugar cubes in almond extract. Then I place them together on top the pudding, light them with a match, turn out all the lights, and deliver the flaming pudding to the table (usually accompanied by a Happy Birthday song to Jesus).

TINY TIM'S PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease an 8-cup pudding mold, metal gelatin mold or ovenproof bowl; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in plums, dates, raisins, carrots and currants., Transfer to prepared pudding mold. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil; tie foil with kitchen string to secure., Place on a rack in a stockpot; add 3 in. hot water to pot. Bring water to a gentle boil; steam cake, covered, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Remove pudding from pot; let stand 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat hard sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; serve warm with sauce.