Famous Sticky Date Pudding from the Lake District!

This recipe is from the November issue of Olive. It is a copy of the one found at the Lake District Sharrow Bay hotel. It's absolutely delicious and a definite must-try! Forget about those calories for a change and indulge!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 9-12 squares

Ingredients

• 275  g dates, pitted and chopped
• 60  ml  whiskey
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 125  g butter
• 125  g sugar
• 2  eggs
• 125  g self-raising flour

• SAUCE

• 150  g butter
• 200  g dark muscovado sugar
• 250  ml heavy cream (double cream)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC/fan 170ºC/gas5.
2. Put dates in a saucepan with the whisky and 150ml water; Bring to the boil, then add the baking powder (it will froth a bit) and leave the dates to soak until cool.
3. Beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
4. Beat the eggs one at a time, stir in the flour, then the date mixture.
5. Pour into a buttered brownie tin 22cm square; Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through (test with a skewer).
6. For the sauce, put the butter, muscovado sugar and double cream in a saucepan and bring it to the boil slowly, stirring, then simmer for 3 minutes.
7. When the pudding is ready, remove from the oven and pour over enough sauce to make a sticky glaze.
8. Return it to the oven for about 2 minutes.
9. Serve it cut into squares with more sauce poured over.
10. I served it with cream because I found it too sweet on its own although I don't have as much of a sweet tooth as many zaarites out there!