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Pudding, Steamed, Australian Sticky Date (D/P, TNT)
Source: New York Times
Serves: 10

Pudding:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature, cut into eight pieces, plus extra to butter pan
1-1/4 cups chopped pitted dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder

Caramel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup firm packed brown sugar, PLUS 1 tablespoon firm packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9" round baking pan with sides at least 2" high, such as a springform pan.

Place the dates in a saucepan and cover with water (about 1-1/2 cups). Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add the baking soda (the mixture will foam) and set aside.

In a bowl, cream the cut up butter, sugar and eggs, adding the eggs one at a time. Gently mix in the flour, salt and vanilla. Slowly stir in the baking powder and 1/4 cup of the liquid from cooking the dates, until the cake mixture resembles thick pancake batter. Drain off remainder of date cooking liquid and discard. Stir in the dates.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cooked in the center.

Combine the butter, whipping cream, brown sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil; reduce to simmer, and cook for 3 minutes.

To serve, drizzle some of the sauce over the cake as it is cooling. Serve the rest of the sauce separately.

Poster's Notes:
This is a very good recipe that would be excellent to serve for Tu B'Shvat. It is VERY rich.

Renée Glass says: I've been making Sticky Date Pudding for years. You might be interested to know that I make it pareve. Instead of the butter I use margarine andinstead of the cream I use soy milk. Nobody complains and it's always a popular desert. I score the cake as it comes out of the oven--usually with serving lines and then drizzle some of the sauce over it. That way the sauce soaks into the cake. Just before serving it I warm it slightly.

Posted by Nancy Berry

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A