Steamed Christmas pudding with Hard Sauce


By Suzanne Crocker,
adapted from an old English recipe handed down from my grandmother.

Steamed Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup grated carrot
1 cup grated potato
1 cup birch syrup
1 cup shredded beef tallow or suet
1 cup flour (wheat or rye or barley)
1 ½ cups partially dried Saskatoon berries

Preparation

  1. Mix all ingredients.
  2. Pour into a greased bowl that will sit on the top of one of your pots.
  3. Fill the bottom inch of the pot with water and place the bowl on top of the pot such that the bowl seals well in the pot, but does not touch the water.
  4. Cover the bowl and steam for 4-5 hours.  Check the water level in the pot regularly as it will need to be refilled with boiling water at regular intervals.
Can be made in advance and then steamed for 1 hour before serving.  Serve hot with hard sauce.

Hard Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup softened butter
¾ to 1 cup of sugar beet sugar
1/3 cup of cream, well chilled

Preparation

Prepare just before serving.
  1. Chill the cold cream in the freezer while mixing the other ingredients.
  2. With electric mixer, cream the butter until very light and fluffy.
  3. Gradually add the sugar beet sugar and beet well after each addition.
  4. VERY SLOWLY, drizzle in the chilled cream while beating on high speed continuously.  (Note:  If the cream is added too quickly, it will curdle.)
Keep chilled and serve a small dollop on each portion of hot Christmas pudding.
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