Old fashioned treacle pudding

This is similar to sticky toffee pudding, but with a zesty twist of ginger. It is the perfect comfort food pudding for a lazy family lunch and friends know to have a sweet tooth.

250g dates

1t bicarb

1 cup boiling water

125g butter at room temperature

200g treacle sugar

2 x-large eggs

240g flour

½ t ground ginger

1t ground cinnamon
1T grated orange zest

1t baking powder

100g pecan nuts roughly chopped

100g glace ginger, roughly chopped

Sauce

150g caramel sugar

1 cup water

15g butter

1t vanilla extract

½ cup cream

3T good quality brandy (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease a 35x25cm oven proof dish with butter.

Chop the dates, place in your dish and sprinkle over the bicarb. Pour over the water boiling water and stir to mix. Allow to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest and baking powder. Add to the batter, a third at a time. Mix well. Add the nuts and glace ginger. Place the batter on top of the dates and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredient, except the vanilla and brandy, in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and stir to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and brandy. Set aside. Pour over the pudding when it comes out of the oven.

This pudding does not need any accompaniment. Eating it with custard or ice-cream is for the brave.