Nana's Traditional Christmas Steamed Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce

• 1 cup light molasses
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for tossing fruit
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 pint candied mixed fruit (or diced dried fruit such as pineapple, pears, apples, and plums)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 ounces brandy
• Holly sprig, for garnish
• Hard Sauce, recipe follows
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 -ounce brandy or rum

1. Combine the molasses, butter, milk, and eggs in a mixing bowl.
2. Next, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions.
4. Toss candied fruit and raisins lightly with flour to prevent sinking and add to batter.
5. Stir in brandy.
6. 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.
7. Cover and steam for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water hasn't boiled out.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes on a rack before turning out.
9. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a sprig of holly and hard sauce.
10. Beat all ingredients together until very well combined.
11. Serve with pudding.

light molasses, butter, warm milk, eggs, flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, pineapple, raisins, brandy, sauce, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, brandy

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nanas-traditional-christmas-steamed-plum-pudding-with-hard-sauce-recipe0.html (may not work)