Steamed Molasses Pudding

Difficulty: easy Prep Time: More than 15 Minutes Total Time: More than 1 hour
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup floured raisins, currants or chopped dates

Hard Sauce:
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp rum
1/4 cup coconut (optional)

Beat first 5 ingredients together. Blend in milk. Set aside. Blend or stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to liquid mixture and beat well. Fold in raisins, currants or chopped dates. Turn into greased 1 quart mould. Cover and steam for 2 1/2 hours. To make the hard sauce, cream butter with sugar until light and smooth. Beat in vanilla and rum. Store, covered, in refrigerator until serving time.