Classic steamed plum pudding with hard sauce

Ingredients

• 250 g Candied fruit
• 240 g Butter, melted
• 60 g All purpose flour, add more for tossing fruit
• 50 g Icing sugar
• 2 tbsp Milk, warmed
• 2 tbsp Light molasses
• 1 pcs Egg
• 2 tbsp Brandy
• 1 tbsp Raisins
• 1 tbsp Rum
• 2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
• 1 tsp Cloves, ground
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Method

1. Grease and sugar a steam pudding mold.
2. Mix the molasses, milk, 40g butter, and egg in a bowl.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and cloves.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients.
5. Mix well to combine and stir in the candied fruit and the raisins (first toss the candied fruit and raisins in flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom). Now stir in the brandy.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared mold and place it on a rack in a large pot covered with water that comes halfway up the sides of the mold.
7. Cover and cook in steam for 120 minutes, check occasionally to ensure the water doesn’t boil out.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the hard sauce by combining 200g butter, 5g vanilla, 50g sugar, 1 pinch salt, and 15ml rum. Beat well until you get a smooth consistency
9. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out.
10. Lightly dust with icing sugar then serve with hard sauce and a sprig of holly.