Cranberry Christmas Pudding

2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Gorgeous Sauce (recipe follows)

Add soda to molasses. Stir in the water and dump in a large bowl. Sift flour and baking powder in separate bowl. Toss cranberries in flour mixture and then add to molasses mixture. Add nuts, if desired.

Grease small cake pan. Pour pudding mixture into pan and cover with lid or tie brown paper over top of the pan with some twine. Steam in 2 inches of water for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Check water level every now and then to make sure water hasn’t boiled dry.) Serve by breaking bits of pudding into a bowl and pouring gorgeous sauce over the top. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Gorgeous Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter

Cook sugar, whipping cream and butter over boiling water for 5 minutes. Serve.

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