This is a great recipe to make ahead so you dont have to wait until the last minute.
New England Baked Plum Pudding
Ingredients
22 common crackers, rolled fine
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
4 eggs
1/2 cup melted shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon soda (baking soda)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 quarts milk
1 lb seeded raisins
1/2 lb seedless raisins
1/2 lb dried currants
1/4 cup citron
1/4 cup orange peel
1/4 cup lemon peel
Instructions
Info: from Early American Recipes collection, 1953, by Heloise Frost
from Nana Swain
Preparation:
Soak rolled crackers in milk two hours or more. Add sugar, molasses,
spices, salt. Add beaten eggs, then fruit and last melted shortening
and soda.
Pour into well buttered earthen pudding pan. Bake at 400 d one hour.
Stir pudding thoroughly and reduce heat to 300 d for two hours. Stir
again and continue to bake one hour. Pudding will be solid when done.
Run a knife around edges, but do not remove from pan until cold.
Slice and serve with hard sauce (or whipped cream).
Will keep in refrigerator for a long time.