i couldnt be bothered with the chocolate/toffee sauce; had it with warm (ready made) custard and choc fudge icecream..heaven!
i used Nigel Slater's recipe taken from bbc.co.uk/food
Ingredients
- For the pudding
- 150g/5oz dates, stones removed, chopped
- 250ml/9fl oz hot water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 60g/2¼ oz butter, softened
- 60g/2¼ oz caster sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- 150g/5oz self-raising flour
- For the toffee sauce (i skipped this)
- 200g/7oz butter
- 400g/14oz brown sugar
- vanilla pod, split
- 250ml/9fl oz double cream
Preparation method
For the pudding
- Preheat the oven to 180C/370F/Gas 4.
- Mix the dates, bicarbonate of soda and the water together in a bowl and leave to soak for ten minutes.
- In a clean bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Still stirring the butter mixture, gradually add the eggs, making sure they are well mixed in.
- Still stirring, gradually add the flour, then add the date mixture.
- Pour the mixture into a 20cm/8in square cake tin. Place into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through.
For the sauce
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a thick bottomed pan over a medium heat.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla pod and cream and stir well. Simmer for five minutes.
- To serve, spoon out a portion of the pudding onto a plate and pour over the hot toffee sauce.
