CRANBERRY STEAMED PUDDING AND HARD SAUCE OR LEMON SAUCE

Cranberry Steamed Pudding and Hard Sauce or Lemon Sauce image

This is my mothers Christmas Pudding Recipe from several generations ago.The English often call these delicate cake recipes cooked in the "Bain Marie", a "Pudding" Mom use to make this for us and serve it with the rich hard sauce over the top. I loved it for Breakfast the day after if any was left and heat the sauce and have it...

Provided by Donna Thiemann

Time 1h10m

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

2 c cranberries, fresh or frozen, cut in half
1/2 c hot water
1/2 c dark molasses
1 1/2 c flour or cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
FOR THE HARD SAUCE
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar (white)
1/2 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (your best)
1 Tbsp brandy
LEMON SAUCE
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 large egg, slightly beaten
3 Tbsp real lemon juice

Steps:

1. Mix the pudding ingredients above and then transfer the batter to molds or greased coffee can(cover with foil) on the stove in a pan such as a Dutch oven. To prevent stove burns use a vegetable steamer to "raise up the pudding molds. Fill dutch oven with water to half way up the can or mold, cook the batter on low to medium for one or two hours with a lid on the dutch oven. This method is called a "Bain Marie" or cooked in a water bath! Seal the pudding mold with foil to prevent the batter from getting wet! Be sure to check the dutch oven to make sure you don't boil away the water. If you need to add water be sure the water is very hot or boiling when adding more to the pan. Check the pudding with a cake tester or a wooden stick, making sure the batter is no longer gooey. Remove the dutch oven from the hot burner and cool the pudding slightly(15 minutes) so you can invert it onto a serving plate. Slice and serve warm with the hard sauce or lemon sauce! Microwave directions: Grease a 1 quart round bowl (not too deep); pour in the batter and cover with a piece of parchment. Microwave 6-8 minutes on full power or until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Remove from the microwave and let sit 15 minutes before inverting on a serving plate.
2. For the Hard Sauce: Mix the sauce ingredients and Scald in a sauce pan on the stove. Remove promptly so the sauce does not scorch. Serve over the cranberry pudding. Lemon Sauce: *Heat butter & sugar in double boiler until sugar dissolves. Pour in food processor. With lid on, drizzle beaten egg slowly into hot mixture so egg doesn't cook or scramble. Add lemon juice. May adjust lemon juice to taste. *I have made this hundreds of times & could never get the sugar to dissolve completely without going funky, so don't worry. Just cook a few minutes until mixed thoroughly & put in processor. Takes care of it. This Lemon Sauce is from our friend Peggi(cookiequeen) and goes along with her bread pudding which is to die for. https://www.justapinch.com/recipe/cookiequeen/peggis-bread-pudding-with-lemon-sauce/pudding?page=5#comment205548
3. Crock Pot Directions: Cover mold tightly with foil. Set mold into 3 1/2 or 4 qt. crock pot with liner in place. Pour 1 c water into cooker around mold. Cover; cook on low-heat about 5 1/2 hrs. or high for 3 hrs. or till pudding springs back when touched.Remove mold from crock pot and let stand for 10 minutes. Carefully un-mold onto serving platter. Serve warm