Sticky Date Pudding

I am big on warm, rich desserts in winter. I may have missed the boat as we are just entering spring but I just had to try making Sticky Date Pudding. I was thinking about trying out something different on the weekend and after posting the question on my facebook page, a clever young lady suggested Sticky Date, so why not!

Ingredients:

200g fresh dates, chopped and pitted
250ml boiling water
1 tsp bicarb soda
60g unsalted butter
135g brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

150g self raising flour

Toffee sauce:

125g unsalted butter
125g brown sugar

140ml cream

Method:  

Put dates in a bowl with bicarb soda and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for a few minutes until the dates soften, then drain. If you prefer your pudding without chunks of date you can puree the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease an 8 jumbo cupcake holed tin with butter. Cream together butter and brown sugar using a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract, mix well. Fold in flour and then fold in the dates.

Pour mixture into the cupcake tin. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

To make the toffee sauce put butter, sugar and cream into a saucepan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened and is golden in colour.

** You can keep the toffee sauce in the fridge. It will thicken when chilled, simply reheat prior to serving.