Sticky Date Pudding With Toffee Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried dates, coarsely chopped
1 tsp baking soda
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fimly packed brown sugar
3 None eggs
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
None None FOR THE TOFFEE SAUCE
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp light corn syrup
2 tbsp butter

Preparation

Grease a 7-cup pudding steamer. Place the dates and 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan on high heat. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and let stand for 5 mins. Blend or process until smooth.
Beat the butter, vanilla and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in date mixture, sifted flour and nuts.
Spoon into pudding steamer. Top with pleated parchment paper then foil (to allow pudding to expand as it cooks) and secure with kitchen string.
Place pudding in a large saucepan. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up side of steamer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam for 2 hours, replenishing boiling water as necessary to maintain level (it's a good idea to have a kettle of boiling water ready).
Meanwhile, for the toffee sauce, place granulated sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan on low heat. Stir, without boiling, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil; boil, uncovered, for 15 mins, or until light golden brown. Remove from heat. Add the syrup, butter and 1/4 cup water. (Be careful, as sauce will bubble and splatter.) Stir until well combined. Cool sauce to room temperature.
Let pudding stand for 10 mins before unmolding onto a serving plate. Drizzle with toffee sauce.
To make individual puddings, spoon mixture into eight 1-cup ovenproof dishes. Top with pleated parchment paper and foil; secure with kitchen string or an elastic band. Place puddings in a large, deep skillet with enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; steam for 1 hour, replenishing boiling water as necessary to maintain level. Let puddings stand for 5 mins before unmolding onto plates.