Hard sauce

Hard sauce is a traditional accompaniment to plum pudding. Although it has the word sauce in its name, this concoction is actually more of a spread, made by beating sugar, butter, and flavorings such as brandy, rum, or whisky. The sugar can be brown, powdered, or granulated, and vanilla is sometimes added to the flavorings if desired. Once prepared, the mixture is well-chilled until it hardens, and it's then served with plum pudding. Hard sauce is often placed into a decorative mold before it's chilled, and it's then unmolded before serving. In England, hard sauce is also known as brandy butter.