Steamed Cranberry Pudding with Homemade Vanilla Sauce

1 . Stage

Grease a 2-quart metal pudding mold well or a clean 1-pound coffee can. Pick over whole cranberries; wash and drain.

2 . Stage

Sift flour into a bowl and dredge cranberries in flour mixture.

3 . Stage

Dissolve baking soda in hot water; stir in molasses and allow to foam up. Add to the flour and cranberry mixture and stir until well blended. Spoon into the prepared mold; cover with a double layer of aluminum foil and fasten with heavy elastic band or string.

4 . Stage

Place into a deep saucepan and fill with water up to about the halfway mark on the mold. Cover the saucepan and place over high heat; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pudding is firm and a toothpick inserted into the pudding comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the water and allow to cool.

5 . Stage

Invert pudding onto a pie plate and carefully remove from the mold before it cools.

6 . Stage

While the pudding is cooling, combine sugar, butter, cream, and vanilla in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce has thickened, making sure it doesn't boil over, about 5 minutes. Serve warm sauce over the pudding.