Sticky Date Pudding. A classic winter dessert. Comfort food my family loves to turn to when the weather is miserable and we are cocooned at home. Grated apple added to the batter adds another layer of lusciousness to this well-loved pudding.

This has to be the perfect make ahead dessert. Good enough to serve at a dinner party. The quantities provided make a very substantial pudding. Enough to squirrel away a good portion to the freezer for another time. That’s if I’m on my toes and think ahead quickly before the hungry hordes descend upon the kitchen for seconds. After all I was very fortunate to get this photo for the blog. The dessert bowls disappeared from the kitchen counter before I had time to grab my camera.

Warm Sticky Date, Apple and Walnut Pudding With Caramel Sauce.

10 – 12  generous serves

2 cups (250g) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
225 g unsalted butter
1 cup (250g) brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 large granny smith apple, peeled and grated
1 1/2 cups (150g) walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup (185g) dates, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup (250ml) warm water

For the Caramel sauce

1 1/2 cups (375 g) brown sugar
200 g unsalted butter
3/4 cup (200 ml) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

DISSOLVE the bicarbonate of soda in warm water and pour over the chopped dates. Cover with cling wrap and set aside for at least one hour, longer if possible. Overnight works well.
PREHEAT oven to 180 C. Butter and flour a 20cm x 20cm square cake tin.
SIFT together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
ADD the apples and walnuts to the softened date mixture.
IN A separate bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
BEAT in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
USING a wooden spoon stir the apple, date and walnut mixture into the creamed butter and sugar  in two or three batches. Alternating with the flour. Be careful not to overmix.
POUR batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for up to an hour until a skewer inserted into the centre of the pudding comes out clean.
SERVE warm with caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice-cream.

To Prepare the Caramel Sauce

PLACE all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat then simmer  gently on low heat for 5 minutes.