Chocolate Sticky Date Pudding With Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

DATE PUDDING
250 g pitted dried dates (8.8 oz.)
1 1/4 cups cold water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda or 1 teaspoon 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)

Preparation

PREPARE PUDDING:.
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).
Combine dates and 1 1/4 cups cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat.
Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Stand for 15 minutes.
Process date mixture until almost smooth.
Place butter and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Stir in flour, chocolate, and date mixture.
Spread mixture into a prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
PREPARE SAUCE:.
Combine sugar, cream and butter in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Stir in whisky (if using).
Serve cake with sauce and cream.