Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce

For pudding

1 and 3/4 cups packed pitted dates (about 10 ounces)

1 cup water

1 cup orange juice

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (bicarb soda)

2 cups SR flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

200g butter, softened

1 cup raw sugar

3 large eggs

For sauce

250g unsalted butter

1 and 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make pudding: Preheat oven to 180°C. and grease an 8-inch square baking pan (2 inches deep).

Coarsely chop dates and in a large saucepan simmer dates in water and orange juice, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.

While mixture is standing, into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Add date mixture and with a wooden spoon stir batter until just combined well.

Pour batter into baking pan, bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes.

Make sauce while pudding is cooling:

In a heavy saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool sauce to warm.

Cut warm pudding into squares. Serve pudding with ice cream and warm sauce.

Serves 6 to 8.