Old-Fashioned Plum Pudding and Hard Sauce

Steps

• 1

  Generously grease 1-quart mold or ovenproof glass bowl; line with double thickness of cheesecloth.
• 2

  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine flour, ginger, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; mix well.
• 3

  With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add raisins, prunes, almonds and fruit peel; toss until fruit is well coated with flour mixture. Add bread crumbs and brown sugar; mix well. Stir in brandy and eggs; mix well. (Mixture will be very thick and almost crumbly.)
• 4

  Spoon mixture into greased and lined mold, packing firmly with back of spoon as mold is filled. Cover tightly with lid or heavy-duty foil; tie foil in place, if necessary.
• 5

  Place rack in bottom of Dutch oven or 6-quart saucepan. Add water until it reaches top of rack. Bring to a boil. Set mold on rack; carefully pour hot water around mold until about half way up mold. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover Dutch oven. Simmer 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Add boiling water as needed.
• 6

  Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine all hard sauce ingredients; beat until smooth. Line 10-oz. custard cup or decorative mold with plastic wrap. Spoon hard sauce mixture into lined cup. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.
• 7

  Remove pudding from Dutch oven; cool in mold for 1 1/2 hours. Turn out of mold; carefully remove cheesecloth. Place on serving plate. Unmold hard sauce onto small plate; remove plastic wrap. Top each slice of pudding with small slice of hard sauce.