Serves: 8
Total Calories: 575

3 cups bread crumbs soft
1/2 cup flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon ground
2 teaspoons allspice ground
1 teaspoon nutmeg ground
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown sugar packed
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs large
3/4 cup red plum jam
1/2 cup milk
1 cup currants or raisins
1 cup dates chopped
1/2 cup candied cherries chopped
Additional candied fruit
Hard Sauce (see below)

Generously butter or spray with non-stick coating a 6-cup pudding mold. Place a rack or trivet in the bottom of a large, deep kettle.

Combine crumbs, flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and baking soda set aside.

Beat brown sugar and butter in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in jam and milk. At low speed, beat in flour mixture. Beat in currants, dates, and cherries.

Spoon into prepared mold. Close lid or butter a double thickness of aluminum foil and press, buttered-side down, tightly over top of mold. Place mold on rack in kettle. Add enough boiling water to cover bottom 1 inch of mold. Cover and steam over low heat 2 1/2 to 3 hours until a wooden pick inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean or pudding pulls away from side of mold. (Add boiling water during steaming if needed.)

Remove mold from kettle. Uncover and let stand 10 minutes. Loosen pudding from mold with the tip of a sharp knife. Invert onto a serving plate. Garnish with candied fruit. Serve warm with Hard Sauce.

Hard Sauce: Beat 3/4 cup softened butter or margarine, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 3 tablespoons brandy or half-and-half until well blended and fluffy. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 575
Calories from Fat: 182

More Recipes from the Current Calendars Cookbook:
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Chilies Rellenos Pie
Fettuccini Carbonara
Fried Wontons
Greek Appetizer Salad
Pavlova
Steamed Plum Pudding
Swedish Meatballs