Sticky Date Pudding

Sticky Date Pudding (8 serves)

1 ½ cups pitted dried dates chopped

1 ¼ cups water

1 tsp bicarb soda

¼ cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 ½ cups self raising flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

Caramel sauce

¾ cup brown sugar

300ml cream

2 tbs Golden syrup

30g butter

In a small saucepan add the dates and water and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the butter and bicarb soda stirring the mixture. Set this aside until cool.

Preheat a fan forced oven to 160˚C.

Prepare a 20 cm round spring form cake tin with baking paper on the base and spray the sides with oil or grease with butter.

Pour the cooled date mixture into a food processor; add the eggs and vanilla and pulse for a few seconds.

In a large bowl sift the self raising flour and brown sugar to remove any lumps.

Add the date mixture and using a wooden spoon or large spatula fold the wet and dry ingredients together until evenly mixed. Try not to over mix the ingredients.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. After 40 minutes check to see the top of the pudding is not getting to brown - cover the top with baking paper if necessary.

Test the pudding with a wooden skewer – the pudding is cooked when no batter appears on the skewer.

At this stage make your caramel sauce in a small saucepan adding all the ingredients and simmering for about five minutes.

Remove the pudding from the cake tin and allow the pudding to cool on a wire rack. As the pudding cools use the wooden skewer to pierce the pudding making about 10 holes in the pudding. Pour about ½ a cup of the caramel sauce over the top of the pudding. Adding a little bit more will result with a stickier pudding.

Serve hot or cold. I prefer to reheat the pudding and sauce and serve with a dollop of fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.