Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 250 gram pitted dates, chopped
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 250 millilitre boiling water
• 80 gram butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 piece eggs
• 1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1 cup extra brown sugar, for sauce
• 300 millilitre thickened cream
• 80 gram extra butter, for sauce

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.
2. 2Put the dates and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stand for 10 minutes to soften.
3. 3Beat the butter and brown sugar with electric beaters until creamy, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
4. 4Fold in the flour, then stir in the date mixture, including all the liquid.
5. 5Pour into the tin and bake for 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. 6Meanwhile, make the sauce: stir the extra brown sugar, cream and extra butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. 7Cut the warm pudding into squares, place in bowls and pour over plenty of hot caramel sauce.