Chocolate Sticky Date Pudding With Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients

DATE PUDDING

• 250 g pitted dried dates (8.8 oz.)
• 1 1/4 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda or baking soda
• 125 g butter, chopped (4.4 oz.)
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour (or 1 cup and 2 Tbsp. flour and 2 tsp. baking powder and 3/4 tsp. salt)
• 100 g dark chocolate, finely chopped (3.5 oz.)
• double cream, to serve (whipping cream, whipped, or beaten mascarpone to form a thick sauce)

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup cream
• 75 g butter, chopped (2.65 oz. or 16 tsp.)
• 1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   PREPARE PUDDING:.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius for convection oven; converts to 350 degrees F/320 F). Grease a 20 cm round cake pan (8-inch cake pan). Line base and side with baking paper (parchment paper).

3. 3

   Combine dates and 1 1/4 cups cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Stand for 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Process date mixture until almost smooth.

6. 6

   Place butter and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

7. 7

   Beat in eggs, one at a time.

8. 8

   Stir in flour, chocolate, and date mixture.

9. 9

   Spread mixture into a prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

10. 10

    PREPARE SAUCE:.

11. 11

    Combine sugar, cream and butter in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved.

12. 12

    Increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil.

13. 13

    Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.

14. 14

    Stir in whisky (if using).

15. 15

    Serve cake with sauce and cream.