Serves 10
Ingredients:
Pudding:
200g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 cup boiling water
45g cold butter, cubed
70g demerara sugar
70g dark brown sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of sea salt
2 large free-range eggs
130g flour
2 Tbsp Staffords Bourbon Vanilla Extract with Seeds
Sauce:
300g muscovado sugar
1 – 2 tots of brandy or rum
150g butter
1 Tbsp molasses
375ml double thick cream, divided
2 tsp Staffords Bourbon Vanilla Extract with Seeds
Softly whipped cream with Staffords Bourbon Vanilla Extract with Seeds, to serve
Method:
Preheat oven to 180˚C.
Grease a ± 30cm x 20cm baking dish lightly with butter.
Put the dates in a bowl and cover with the boiling water to soften.
In a food processor, combine the butter, both sugars, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Pulse to combine.
Add the eggs, flour and vanilla.
Pulse until well combined.
Finally add the dates and pulse until smooth, but do not overwork.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for ± 30-35 minutes, until just firm to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean.
While the pudding is baking, make the sauce:
Combine sugar, brandy, butter and half the cream in a medium sized saucepan and heat gently. When the sugar has completely dissolved, turn up the heat.
Add the molasses and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until a rich toffee colour. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the rest of the cream and the vanilla.
Keep warm
As soon as the pudding is out of the oven, prick all over with the cake tester.
Pour half the sauce over the pudding so it is entirely covered with the thick sticky glaze.
Return to the oven and broil for 2 minutes until bubbling.
To serve, spoon generous scoops into bowls with a dollop of softly whipped vanilla cream. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side for extra indulgent drizzling.