Ingredients

The following ingredients have 9 Servings
  • 125g dried pitted dates, roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 100g butter, melted, plus extra to grease
  • 150g dark muscovado sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp black treacle
  • 100ml whole milk
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 200g dark muscovado sugar
  • 200ml double cream
  • 100ml water

Instruction

  • Heat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Place the chopped dates in a small heatproof bowl, sprinkle with the bicarbonate of soda and pour over 100ml boiling water. Leave to soften for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a deep 2-litre ovenproof baking dish with butter.
  • In a small saucepan, gently mix together all the sauce ingredients over a low heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and leave to one side.
  • When the dates have softened, tip them into a food processor and blitz a couple of times, then add the remaining ingredients with a pinch of salt. Whiz to a thick batter consistency, scraping down the sides in between so everything is fully incorporated. There should still be some flecks of date showing. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
  • Pour the sauce slowly over the top of the pudding – it is easiest to pour into the corners of the dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Check with a skewer, being careful not to poke all the way through to the sauce. The sponge will be risen and firm, and the sauce bubbling underneath. Serve with pouring cream or ice cream.