Sticky Date Pudding

to die for!
SERVES: 8 if you are polite and don't scoff the whole thing....
PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES
COOK: 40 MINUTES

Ingredients
250g pitted dates
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 cups boiling water
125g butter, softened
1 cup (80g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups self raising flour, sifted


caramel sauce
1 cup (80g) brown sugar
300ml thickened cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
60g butter


cream to serve

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 7cm deep, 22cm cake tin and line base with baking paper.


Cover dates and bi-carb with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar & vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Using a large metal spoon, fold in date mixture and flour. Spoon into cake tin.


Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn onto a plate. 

To make caramel, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes. ''Pierce pudding all over with a skewer. Pour over 1/2 cup of the warm sauce over warm pudding. Stand for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve with remaining sauce and cream..... Apparently Ant doesn't eat dessert....sure!


My Notes
yum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum, did I mention YUM 


Just a couple of things with this recipe, DON'T stir the caramel whilst it is cooking


I poured a cup of the caramel sauce over the pudding because there was oodles of it. 

This recipe also comes from the little www.taste.com.au magazine which has had a real workout this weekend! I want to bathe in this, so yes it will definitely be on the menu soon :)