Sticky Date Pudding With Toffee Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

180 g dried dates, pitted, chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
50 g unsalted butter
150 g brown sugar
2 eggs
180 g self raising flour, sifted
TOFFEE SAUCE
150 g brown sugar
250 ml cream (you can use the same amount of carnation light evaporated milk, undiluted, makes it a lot lower in f)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
20 g unsalted butter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 180*C/375*F.
Combine dates and baking soda in a heatproof bowl.
Pour over 250ml of boiling water.
Set dates aside till room temperature.
Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl till pale.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.
Fold in flour then stir in date mixture, including the water.
Pour mixture into greased and floured 8 inch deep cake pan and bake for 30-45 minutes until cooked through; set aside for a couple of minutes before turning out.
To make sauce, combine all ingredients over low heat, stirring until butter has melted.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot!