Chocolate sticky date pudding

ingredients

• Chocolate sticky date pudding

  • 1 1/2 cup (240g) dates, seeded, chopped
  • 1 3/4 cup (430ml) water
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 80 gram of butter, chopped
  • 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
  • 1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder
  • 2/3 cup (70g) pecans, roasted,chopped coarsely
  • 1 1/4 cup (250g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 80 gram butter
  • 300 millilitre thickened cream

method

• Chocolate sticky date pudding

  • 1

    Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease deep 22cm-round cake pan, line base with baking paper.

  • 2

    Combine dates and the water in small saucepan, bring to the boil. Remove from heat, stir in soda. Stand 5 minutes. Blend or process date mixture until smooth.

  • 3

    Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Fold in sifted flour and cocoa, stir in nuts and warm date mixture, in two batches. Pour mixture into pan.

  • 4

    Bake pudding about 1 hour. Stand in pan 10 minutes before turning onto serving plate.

  • 5

    Meanwhile, make butterscotch sauce. Stir all ingredients in medium pan over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Simmer, without stirring, 3 minutes.

  • 6

    Serve pudding with hot sauce and whipped cream.