Sticky Date Pudding Recipe

This has to be one of my all time favourite pudding recipes. The first time I ever tasted this was at a luncheon at the ladies group at church where my mum went. One of the ladies there named Jeanette was the best cook I had come across and she always made something that everyone wanted the recipe for. I don't know if she made this pudding but it tastes like something she would have made. One of my favourite winneries, down south from Dunsborough serves this up and whenever I go there, I have to have it as it is just so delicious. Try this recipe and I am sure you will love it as much as I do. This recipe is to serve 20 people so you could halve it and still have enough to serve a large dinner party.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups chopped pitted dates
4 cups water
1 teaspoon bi carb soda
175g butter - at room temperature (do not use margarine)
2 1/4 cups brown sugar - firmly packed
6 eggs
3 cups SR flour
thick pure cream to serve (alternatively use vanilla ice cream)

SAUCE:

3 cups brown sugar - firmly packed
3 cups cream
250g butter - chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons orange rind - shredded

METHOD:

Grease a 25 x 35cm baking dish and line base and sides with baking or greasproof paper.
Combine dates and water in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the bi-carb soda and let stand for about 5 minutes.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in sifted flour, then the date mixture. Pour into prepared dish.
Cook in a moderately slow oven of 160C for about 1 1/4 hours or until cooked when tested. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.

SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in a large pan and stire over a low heat, without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil then simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Serve pudding hot with the hot sauce poured over and some cream or vanilla ice cream over the top.