Aunt Jeannies Hard Sauce Recipes

AUNT JEANNIE'S HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer (MUCH easier than by hand as my aunt did), beat butter until creamy.
• Add sugar and blend well; stir in milk.
• Add brandy and vanilla, one teaspoon at a time to prevent separation.
• If sauce begins to separate, add more sugar.
• Turn into serving dish and decorate, if desired.
• Chill.

CARROT PLUM PUDDING WITH HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all dry ingredients in bowl.
• Toss raisins and walnuts into flour mixture.
• Break eggs into a large bowl.
• Beat well.
• Gradually add melted butter, continueing to beat.
• Stir in flour mixture, grated carrots, and grated potatoes.
• Pour into well greased 6 cup pudding mold or large heat-proof bowl.
• Cover tightly with a double layer of foil, securing with a string.
• Place on wire rack in the bottom of a deep pot or canning kettle.
• Add boiling water to the pot until it reaches half way up the side of the mold.
• Steam over low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until tester inserted into pudding comes out clean and top of pudding is firm to the touch.
• Check water level in pot occasionally, adding more boiling water if needed.
• Remove foil from mold.
• Let pudding rest in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
• When completely cool, wrap in foil and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in freezer.
• If frozen, let thaw before heating.
• To reheat, return pudding to mold, cover and steam for about 1 hour or until heated through.
• Serve warm with hard sauce.
• For hard sauce:.
• Thoroughly Cream butter and sifted confectioners sugar together.
• Add 1-2 teaspoons vanilla (or rum or brandy) and beat well.
• Spread in 8x8" pan and place in refrigerator to harden.
• Cut into small squares to serve on warm slices of the pudding.
• The hard sauce could also be chilled in individual butter molds; or a bowl to be spooned onto the pudding in lumps.
• Note: For a dramatic entrance, just before serving, I soak a few sugar cubes in almond extract. Then I place them together on top the pudding, light them with a match, turn out all the lights, and deliver the flaming pudding to the table (usually accompanied by a Happy Birthday song to Jesus).

BLUEBERRY PUDDING WITH HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Lightly grease the sides and bottom of 2x9x13 inch baking pan with shorting, dust with flour and tap out excess.
• Sift together all dry ingredients, set a side.
• Cream butter, sugar and egg yolks together.
• Add milk and dry ingredients alternatly to the butter, sugar and egg yolks.
• Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Roll berries well in flour.
• Fold berries in last.
• Bake in slow oven, 1-1 1/2 hours.
• In my oven it took 1 hour.
• Or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and is golden brown.
• Hard Sauce:.
• Mix all ingredients well in a medium saucepan.
• When thickened add vanilla
• Dice cold butter.
• Stir into sauce one piece at a time, stirring until each piece is melted before adding the next piece.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Cream butter and icing sugar until light and almost white.
• Slowly drizzle in brandy continuing to beat.
• Serve with hot Christmas pudding.

HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• In a mixer bowl, beat the butter until creamy, then blend in the rest of the ingredients and continue beating until the mixture is smooth.
• Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator to soften slightly about 1 hour before serving.

DIANA'S PLUM PUDDING (PLUM PUDDING OF INFAMY)

Steps:

• Butter and flour inside of Bundt pan.
• Remove crusts and ends of the loaf; reserve for another use, if desired.
• Divide slices of bread into three even, separate piles.
• Cut the first third of bread slices diagonally into fourths (to make 4 triangles).
• Arrange these triangles in bottom of Bundt pan, fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle to completely cover the bottom and sides of pan.
• Arrange 1/2 of the drained plum halves cut-side down on top of bread triangles in the bottom of the pan.
• Top the plums with one cup of raisins sprinkled evenly around the layer.
• Sprinkle with ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Pour ½ cup melted butter over all.
• Cut another third of the bread into triangles, and layer it over the plums and raisins.
• Top that layer of bread with the remaining plum halves, raisins, ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
• Use the last third of bread,cut into triangles, to cover the ingredients int he bundt pan.
• Use clean hands to GENTLY press down on bread to compress the ingredients and pack them into the pan, and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Place Bundt pan on baking sheet with sides.
• In a separate large bowl, beat eggs thoroughly, then add cream and mix inches.
• Slowly pour egg mixture over top of pan, allowing it to soak into bread layers, being careful not to overfill pan (I used a bamboo skewer to open channels along edges of pan to let more egg mixture seep down. As it soaks in you can add more mixture.).
• Sprinkle nutmeg over top and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Place Bundt pan with baking pan in oven for 70 minutes.
• Let cool for 20 minutes.
• Turn out onto serving platter or cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Bring to room temperature before serving (or warm individual slices in microwave).
• Dust with powdered sugar.
• For sauce:.
• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Beat in 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon liquor OR milk.
• Repeat with remaining sugar and liquor OR milk.
• Beat until smooth and thick, but pourable.
• Store covered in refrigerator.
• Let stand at room temperature for ½ hour before serving.
• Drizzle pudding with hard sauce, soft sauce, or top with ice cream before serving.