Sticky Orange, Ginger & Date Pudding

Serves 6-8

1¾ cups chopped pitted fresh dates
1½ cups fresh orange juice
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 orange, zest only
3 eggs
1½ cups self-raising flour
⅓ cup uncrystallised ginger, chopped
Double thickened cream and vanilla bean ice cream, to serve

Whisky Butterscotch Sauce

100g unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar, 
firmly packed
300ml pure cream
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ cup whisky

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease and line base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin.

Place the dates and juice into a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Cool.

Beat the butter, sugar and zest until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in the sifted flour and ginger. Spoon mixture into tin. Smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until firm to the touch. The pudding may need to be covered lightly with foil during the final 15 minutes 
of cooking if it is browning too much.

Allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes, before inverting onto a serving platter.

Meanwhile to make whisky butterscotch sauce, stir the butter, brown sugar, cream and vanilla bean paste over a low heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in whisky.

Spoon half the hot sauce over warm pudding. Serve with remaining sauce, cream and ice cream.

Smart tip + You can also use a round or loaf tin. Adjust cooking time to suit. Uncrystallised ginger is usually in the dried fruit aisle of supermarkets.