Rum Butter Sauce

Yesterday I showed you the figgy pudding I made for Christmas. Today I am going to share with you the rum butter sauce I served with it. It turns out figgy pudding, much like fruit cake, does get a bit better with age, but it gets even better with a sauce. This is a simple, quick sauce that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. It will keep well in the refrigerator for a number of days, but it isn't likely there will be any leftovers. The sauce is best served warm, so it is a good idea to whip up a batch every time you serve figgy pudding. This recipe makes a small batch, but it could easily be doubled or tripled to serve more. Here is the recipe.

Rum Butter Sauce
3 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-2 Tablespoons rum (light and dark both work well)
1 Tablespoon milk or cream

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the rum and milk, heat until bubbly, cook for 3-5 minutes until bubbling subsides and sauce has thickened. Serve immediately.

Here is a recipe for an alternate hard sauce for figgy pudding. It does not require cooking, and it makes a lot more, so it will feed a crowd. It also contains a lot more liquor that has not been boiled off, so it is a lot stronger.

Creamy Rum Sauce
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
2 cups dark rum or brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, mixing at low speed. Add the rum and vanilla.