hard sauce / brandy butter

[Anonymous]

I grew up on Crosse & Blackwell hard sauce for the plum pudding. I can't seem to find it this year, so I thought I'd make my own.

If you have done this, what kind of brandy do you recommend? I don't think we have any in the liquor cabinet--although we do have some really nice cognac, but DH might have a fit if I cooked with it--so I'll be buying something.

Did you use salted or unsalted butter? Land o' Lakes, organic or gourmet butter?

any other tips?

TIA!

[Anonymous]

I make my mum's brandy butter and I don't think I've ever tasted a store-bought one so I'm not sure if this is the same.

Any kind of brandy will do. I just buy the smallest bottle I can at Christmas time. The recipe calls for unsalted butter but I tend to forget. Salted land 'o lakes is fine. Just cream it with brown sugar, add brandy until it "sweats" out of the mixture. I taste a lot when I make it & don't have precise proportions.