English Plum Pudding

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup candied fruit peel, cut up
1/4 cup candied cherries, cut up
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1 cup ground suet (4 oz)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp brandy
1/4 cup brandy (optional)
Hard Sauce

Mix flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Stir in fruit, walnuts and bread crumbs. Mix suet, brown sugar, eggs and 1 Tbsp brandy; stir into fruit mixture. Pour into well greased 4 cup mold; cover with aluminum foil.

Place mold on rack in Dutch oven; pour boiling water into Dutch oven to rack level. Cover and boil over low heat until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 3 hours. (Add boiling water if necessary.)

Remove mold from Dutch oven; unmold. Heat 1/4 cup brandy until warm; ignite and pour over pudding. Serve with Hard Sauce.

Hard Sauce: Beat 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened, 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp brandy until smooth.