Grease a large pudding basin or a ceramic/metal bowl with a lip using butter or shortening. Line the bottom of your bowl with a disc of parchment or waxed paper, and grease the disc as well.

Roughly chop your figs and suet. Set aside. In a food processor, add the figs, raisins, and suet in smaller increments. Pulsing until finely ground. *Depending on the size and power of your food processor, adding all of the fruit/suet mixture at the same time can be difficult for some processors to cut through.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until well combined. Add the egg mixture to the fruit and suet batter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Then, pour the molasses and milk. Beat on low speed until well blended.

Next, add the baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the flour to the batter in increments to keep the flour from splattering. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined.

Next, add the baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the flour to the batter in increments to keep the flour from splattering. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined.

Fill the prepared bowl with the Christmas pudding batter, about half full. Cut a disc of wax or parchment paper, approximately the size of the top of your bowl. Butter the disc and place the butter side down on top of the pudding mixture.

Next, cover the bowl with both parchment paper (first) and tin foil (second). Secure the parchment paper, and tin foil with kitchen twine - tying the string under the lip of the bowl.

Place a trivet in the bottom of a large pot. Place the pudding basin on the trivet. Pour water in the pot, making sure to fill the water so that it comes halfway up the pudding basin bowl and above the line of the pudding in the basin. Be extremely careful not to get water in the pudding basin.

Bring the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 5-6 hours. Continue to check and top off the water level throughout the cooking time, as necessary, as you don't want the pan to dry out while cooking.

Remove the Christmas pudding from the pot, and remove the parchment and tin foil. When a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the pudding is set, the pudding is done. Set the pudding aside to cool. Turn the finished Christmas pudding out onto a serving plate. Serve with hard sauce. Enjoy!

In a medium saucepan, over medium to medium-high heat melt butter. Add sugar, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, cornstarch. Stir until blended. Slowly add the milk, continue to stir until sauce thickens. Serve over the Christmas pudding.