A yummy hot date pudding for those cold evenings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dessicated coconut

1/2 cup firmly packed soft brown sugar

3/4 cup self-raising flour

1/4 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarb

100g butter

1/4 cup golden syrup

1 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup orange juice

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Sauce:

80g butter

1/4 cup firmly packed soft brown sugar

1 cup cream

2 TBS golden syrup


Method:
Preheat oven to 180deg C

Brush a deep 20cm square cake tin with melted butter and line base and sides with baking paper.

Combine 2 tablespoons each of the coconut and brown sugar and sprinkle over the base of the prepared tin.

Sift the four and soda together in a large mixing bowl, add the coconut and make a well in the centre.

Combine the remaining sugar, butter, golden syrup, dates and juice in a pot.  Stir over medium head until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved.  Remove from the heat.

Fold the date mixture into the dry ingredients, add the eggs and stir until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.  Leave pudding in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out.

Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in small pot.  Stir over medium heat until mixture is smooth.  Stir for a further 2 minutes and serve immediately over slices of the hot pudding with cream or ice-cream.