Datelicious

I made this just a few days before the removal crew came to our house. I was trying to empty out my cupboards which meant lots of creative meals and making things that I have been putting off for some time.

The week seemed so long that I felt I needed dessert to spice things up a bit. I had a packet of dried dates in the cupboard and thought it would be a great idea to make date loaf.

After a bit of contemplation I asked myself when did I start considering date loaf to be dessert? Tragic. So instead I walked down to the shop and purchased a tub of ice cream and came home to make a REAL dessert - Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce!

What you need
200 grams pitted dates (more or less!)
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 1/2 cups of boiling water
125 grams butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups of raising flour

Caramel Sauce (the best bit!)
1 cup brown sugar
300 ml cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
60 grams of butter


How you do it
Place the dates and the bicarb soda into a small saucepan. Pour the boiling water over the dates and let sit for around 15 minutes.

In another bowl beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Sift the flour over this mixture and then add the dates and water (which should now look like chunky brown glue) and use a spatular to combine.

You can make this as a large pudding or individual puddings. Spoon the mixture into your desired pan and bake in a 180 Celsius oven for approximately 35 minutes.

For the sauce - place all the ingredients into a medium saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until it begins to boil. Simmer for a few minutes. The sauce will be runny and delicious and this MUST be served with ice cream.