Date Pudding with Brandied Caramel Sauce Recipe

Pudding: Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Place dates and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil. Remove lid and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat, stir in baking soda. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Grease 12 ramekins or custard cups. Stir flour with baking powder, ginger and nutmeg until evenly combined. Reserve. Beat butter with sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula as needed. Stir in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture and scrape down sides as needed until well-blended. Spoon into prepared baking cups, until about three-quarters full. Smooth the tops flat.

Place filled cups in a deep roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with boiling water until it comes halfway up the sides of the cups.

Cover roaster with foil, punch a few vent holes. Bake in center of oven for 60 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through cooking or until a cake tester inserted in center of one pudding comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Remove baking cups from water. Turn out and serve immediately or reheat in microwave.

Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Stir occasionally until dissolved. Add cream and brandy. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in vanilla. Serve warm pudding with warm sauce.

Makes 12 servings.

Tip: Both pudding and sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for several days before reheating and serving. 

Make-Ahead: Can be made at least 8 hrs. ahead.