Sticky Date Pudding and Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients:

250g pitted dates, chopped

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

125g butter, at room temperature, chopped

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C with no fan. Grease and line base of a 7cm deep, 22cm round base cake pan with baking paper.

2. Combine dates and boiling water in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes until dates are soft and have almost absorbed all the water. Remove from heat and stir in bicarbonate soda. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour, then the date mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared pan.

4. Bake pudding for 40-50minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand pudding in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.

Butterscotch sauce

Ingredients:
150g butter, chopped
250mL cream
265g (1.5 cups) brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 sea salt flakes

Method:
1. Place all ingredients into the Thermomix and cook on Varoma, Speed 3 for 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides halfway through cooking.

If you don't have a Thermomix, combine all ingredients into a small saucepan and melt over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until smooth.

Serve with butterscotch sauce, double cream and/or ice cream.

Serves 8

**Fast Fresh and Fabulous; Janelle Bloom; pg 177**