Taken from Nigella…
Serves 6 greedy Jamie’s or 8 normal people
FOR THE CAKE
100 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
175 grams self-raising flour
125 millilitres full fat milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50 grams unsalted butter (melted)
200 grams chopped dates
FOR THE SAUCE
200 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
approx. 25 grams unsalted butter (cut into little blobs)
500 millilitres boiling water
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 175°C fan and butter a 1½ litre capacity pudding dish.
- Combine the dark muscovado sugar with the flour in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk into a measuring jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melted butter and then pour this mixture over the sugar and flour, stirring – just with a wooden spoon – to combine. Fold in the dates then scrape into the prepared pudding dish and smooth down to level. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look very full: it will do by the time it cooks.
- Sprinkle over the top of the mix the 200g of dark muscovado sugar and dot with the butter. Pour over the boiling water (yes really!) and transfer to the oven. Set the timer for 45 minutes, though you might find the pudding needs 5 or 10 minutes more. The top of the pudding should be springy and spongy when it’s cooked; underneath, the butter, dark muscovado sugar and boiling water will have turned into a rich, sticky sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche, double or single cream as you wish.