Ingredients

• 3 oz butter
• 5 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 6 oz self-raising flour
• 6 oz stoned dates, chopped
• 6 fl oz boiling water
• 2 tsps coffee essence
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• ¾ tsp bicarb. soda

For the sauce

• 6 oz soft brown sugar
• 4 oz butter
• 6 Tbsp double cream
• 1 oz pecanuts, chopped

To serve

• Chilled pouring cream

Instructions

1. Begin by putting the chopped dates in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Then add the vanilla, coffee essence and bicarb. soda and leave on one side. Next in a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together, beating until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. Now gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Then fold in the flour and then fold in the date mixture (incl. the liquid).
2. It will look very sloppy at this stage but don't worry. divide the mixture between individual pudding basins – eight 6oz or eight 3 inch ramekin dishes, lightly oiled.
3. Place them on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 mins, gas 4,350°F, 180°C.
4. When cooked, leave to cool for 5 minutes then turn them out. Place them on a shallow Swiss roll type tin. Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and heating very gently until the sugar has dissolved.
5. To serve the puddings, heat the grill to its highest setting and place the tin under the grill so the tops of the puddings are about 5 inches from the heat. Knock of any nuts on the top to prevent browning. Let them heat through for about 8 minutes. the tops will become brown and slightly crunchy and the sauce will be hot and bubbling. Serve with chilled pouring cream.

Source: From a BBC cookbook long lost