Brandy Pudding

This is a rich, spicy dense pudding--ideal comfort food!

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 250  g dates, chopped
• 3  ml bicarbonate of soda
• 250  ml boiling water
• 120  g butter
• 180  ml caster sugar
• 2  eggs
• 250  ml cake flour
• 3  ml baking powder
• 1  pinch salt
• 125  ml  chopped pecan nuts or 125  ml  chopped walnuts
• 125  ml cake flour
• 5  ml ground cinnamon
• 5  ml ground ginger

• Syrup

• 250  ml water
• 375  ml sugar
• 3  cinnamon sticks
• 5  cloves
• 3  orange strips or 3  lemon peel strips
• 2  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Pour boiling water and bicarbonate of soda onto the dates and allow to stand.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
4. Add 250ml flour, sifted with baking powder and salt.
5. Stir this into the date mixture, together with the nuts.
6. Lastly, mix in 125ml flour, sifted with cinnamon and ginger.
7. Pour into a well-buttered pie dish.
8. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes.
9. Cool slightly and pour over the syrup.
10. For Syrup:
11. Boil all these ingredients together for 10 minutes.
12. Add 125ml brandy and pour over the tart.
13. Serve with whipped cream or rascarpone beaten with a little lemon rind.