Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce

Ingredients

• •1¾ cups dates
• •2 cups water
• •1½ teaspoons baking soda
• •2 cups all-purpose flour
• •½ teaspoon baking powder
• •½ teaspoon ground ginger
• •½ teaspoon salt
• •6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• •1 cup granulated sugar
• •3 whole large eggs
• •14 tablespoons unsalted butter
• •1½ cups light brown sugar
• •1 cup heavy cream
• •½ teaspoon vanilla
• •1 serving vanilla ice cream

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat oven to 375°F. and butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan (2 inches deep), knocking out excess flour.

   5 min

2. 2.

   Coarsely chop dates and in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan simmer dates in water, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.

   25 min

3. 3.

   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.

   15 min

4. 4.

   Pour batter into baking pan and set pan in a larger baking pan. Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of smaller pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool pudding to warm on a rack.

   40 min

5. 5.

   In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart 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.

   10 min

6. 6.

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

   5 min