Hard Sauce

Ive never figured out whether hard sauce is called that because its pretty firm, for a sauce (well, really its icing, is what it is) or if its hard sauce because it is full of booze. Whatever the actual reason is, I belong to the get-as-much-booze-in-there-as-you-can school of thought, so I put in the 4 tablespoons of rum. I like my hard sauce hard enough to be a little runny, if you know what I mean, and I think you do. Other people may have other ideas. This is not exactly a hard and fast recipe, if I may use that phrase. Everything can be adjusted as you see fit.

4 to 8 servings, depending on if it gets doled out or people help themselves...
5 minutes, plus chill time


1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons dark rum, sherry or brandy

The butter should come out an hour or so before you make this, to allow it to get soft. Once it is, cream it with about half the icing sugar. Mix in the vanilla, and about half the rum, or whatever. Mix in the remaining sugar and then the remaining rum, or whatever.

Chill before serving, although it will certainly melt once it hits a hot pudding.