You might not feel up to making a steamed pudding, but here is a recipe, just out of interest. The second recipe is for a baked version, but it doesn't sound as exciting. You can stick a sprig of holly in it. No, I'm not making either one of these for Christmas dinner. We're having eggnog ice cream with gingerbread waffles.
Steamed Holiday Pudding
The Spice Cookbook, 1964
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup moist mincemeat
Hard sauce or heavy cream, whipped
Mix the shortening with the brown sugar and beat in the eggs. Combine the next 8 ingredients and add to the creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in the nuts, dates, and mincemeat. Turn into a greased, lightly-floured 1 quart mold, filling it 3/4 full. Cover tightly with a lid that fits the mold or foil held in place with an elastic band or tied with a strong cord. Place it on a rack in a deep kettle and pour in hot water to come halfway up the side of the mold. Cover the kettle and bring the water to the boiling point. Steam 2 1/2 hours or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve hot with hard sauce or whipped cream.
Brandied Hard Sauce
2/3 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brandy
Ground nutmeg
Mix the butter with 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Add sugar alternately with the brandy and mix until fluffy. Garnish with additional nutmeg.
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Here's a baked pudding recipe from The Joy of Cooking.
Baked Plum Pudding
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat until soft:
1/2 cup butter
Add gradually:
1 cup sugar
Blend these ingredients until creamy. Beat in one at a time:
6 eggs
Combine:
1 cup raisins, currants, and pecans
Sprinkle lightly with:
Flour
Add these ingredients to the butter mixture.
Combine:
2 cups bread crumbs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Stir these ingredients into the butter mixture. Bake in a greased pan or baking dish for about 1/2 hour. Serve with the hard sauce above, or this one:
Hard Sauce
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 - 5 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon coffee, rum, whisky, brandy, or lemon juice, etc.
1/4 cup cream
Beat the butter until soft and add the sugar gradually. Beat until well-blended. Add the salt and flavoring. Beat in the cream. When very smooth, chill thoroughly. Mold it in one of those butter pats, or cut it into shapes with small cookie cutters.
I think because I like all the ingredients.