Sticky Date Pudding

Method

Place the water in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the dates and bicarbonate soda and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When almost cool, add the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla and mix well. Bake in 2 buttered 17cm tall-sided, round cake tins, for 55 minutes at 160 degrees C fan forced. It can also be baked in 1 buttered 29cm tall-sided, round cake tin for 1 hour at 160 degrees C. The mix can also be divided into indiviual ramekins which you cook for 30 minutes.

To make the sauce

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir over low heat for about 5 minutes until golden.

To Serve

Cut the 17cm cake into 8 pieces and pour the sauce over the top and let the guests serve their own cream. You can freeze the second cake, or unused individual serves until required and reheat in the microwave for 2 lots of 1 minute.