Serves: 8
Total Calories: 315

1 cup dates pitted chopped
1/2 cup pecans chopped or walnuts
2 cups flour (reserve 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
powdered sugar
Sweetened whipped cream
Red or green cherries (optional)
* See note below.

* In a small bowl, coat dates and nuts with the reserved 2 tablespoons flour set aside. In a large bowl, combine remaining 2 cups flour, sugars, baking soda and baking powder set aside. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk and vanilla add to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened. Fold in dates and nuts. Pour mixture into a well-greased 1 1/2 -quart pudding mold and cover tightly with lid or use a well-greased ovenproof 1 1/2 -quart bowl and cover with two thicknesses of well-greased foil tie securely with string. Place mold on a rack in a large kettle* add boiling water to cover bottom third of mold. Cover and steam over low heat for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours or until tests done when wooden pick inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean, or pudding pulls away from sides of mold. Add more boiling water during steaming, if needed.

Remove pudding mold from kettle let rest 5 minutes. Carefully remove lid and let steam escape. Gently loosen pudding from sides of mold or bowl and invert on a serving plate. Serve hot or cold dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped cream. Garnish with optional red or green cherries. Can be cooled, wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer up to 3 months.

To reheat: Keep wrapped in foil thaw, if frozen. Place on rack in deep kettle* pour in 1-inch boiling water, cover and simmer until heated through, about 30 minutes. Add more boiling water, if needed.

* To make your own rack, place several canning jar rings in the bottom of a kettle or use inverted custard cups.

Packaging Suggestions: If frozen, keep the pudding wrapped in foil, then rewrap in colorful gift paper or cellophane with a ribbon and some greenery in the center. If at room temperature or from the refrigerator, place the pudding on a decorative plate or a plastic-coated paper plate rewrap with plastic wrap and cellophane, and attach a sprig of holly or pine. Be sure to write the directions for storing and heating on recipe card and attach. The pudding could be given in a pudding mold used for baking with a copy of the recipe included.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 315
Calories from Fat: 48

More Recipes from the Holiday Cookbook Cookbook:
Baked Plum Pudding With Sauce
Chocolate Cherry Cordial Muffins
Chocolate Torte
Coffee Torte
Cranberry Pudding
Date-Nut Pudding
Easy Rumtopf
Frozen French Mints
Ginger-Pumpkin Dessert
Grasshopper Dessert Soufflé
Heavenly Hash
Lemon Ice With Raspberry Purée
Orange Blossom Bowl
Rainbow Bombe
Steamed Holiday Pudding
Steamed Plum Pudding
Toasting Coconut
Your Nativity Bake Set