Instructions: For the Pudding: Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves. Add enough boiling water to pineapple juice to equal 1 cup. Combine liquid with dates and shortening. Beat egg well. Add pineapple and sugar, mixing until well-blended. Add date mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix until flour is moistened.

Pour into greased 1 1/2 quart decorative mold. Cover with double thickness of wax paper. Set steamer rack in large pot containing 1 quart water. Bring to boil and place pudding on rack. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Steam 1 hour 45 minutes.

Remove from pan and allow to cool a few minutes before removing from mold. Serve warm with Hard Sauce.

For the Hard Sauce: Cream butter. Add sugar and milk gradually, then vanilla extract, mixing well. More milk may be needed to make mixture soft enough to beat well. Chill until ready to serve.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

NOTES :

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