Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Butter an ovenproof dish – either a large traditional oval one or a brownie tin of around 20x30cm/8x12in.

Step 2

Put the dates and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Leave to stand.

Step 3

Cream together the butter and sugars in a bowl until very soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one a time, adding a heaped tablespoon of flour with each addition, then add the rest of the flour.

Step 4

Add all the dates and their soaking water and stir briefly to combine. Pour into the prepared dish. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until springy to the touch and slightly shrinking away from the sides.

Step 5

While the pudding is baking, make the sauce. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugars have dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of a light custard (that is it should coat the back of a spoon).

Step 6

While the pudding is still hot, poke holes over the surface and pour over half the sauce. Set the rest of the sauce aside. Leave to stand for a while – the pudding can be left for a couple of days and will just get stickier. Serve warmed through again with the rest of the sauce, also warmed through.