Ingredients:

  • 7 oz Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 cup Boiling Water
  • 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda)
  • 4 oz Unsalted Butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
  • 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Clementine Zest (or Orange Zest)
  • 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 4 oz Unsalted Butter (for sauce)
  • 1 cup Dark Muscovado Sugar (for sauce)
  • 1/2 cup Double Cream (Heavy Cream) (for sauce)
  • 1/4 cup Clotted Cream (for sauce)
  • Pinch Flaky Sea Salt (for sauce)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Dates: Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the dates, then pour the boiling water over the mixture. Stir well and set aside for 10 minutes. The dates should soften and create a thick, pulpy liquid.
  2. Preheat and Prep Tin: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line the base of the 8-inch tin with parchment paper.
  3. Cream the Fats and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. Add Eggs and Zest: Gradually beat in the two eggs, mixing until just combined. Stir in the clementine zest.
  5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and ground ginger.
  6. Fold the Batter: Alternate folding the dry ingredients and the date mixture (including the soaking liquid) into the creamed base, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Do not overmix; stop when streaks of flour disappear.
  7. Add Cranberries: Gently fold in the dried cranberries.
  8. Bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  9. Cool: Allow the pudding to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack or serving plate.
  10. Melt Butter and Sugar (Sauce): In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and dark muscovado sugar together over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  11. Boil (Sauce): Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and let it bubble, undisturbed, for 1 minute.
  12. Add Cream (Sauce): Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully whisk in the double cream (heavy cream) and the clotted cream. Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened.
  13. Finish (Sauce): Stir in the pinch of flaky sea salt. Keep the sauce warm until ready to serve.
  14. Pierce: Once the pudding is out of the tin and still warm, use a skewer to pierce holes evenly across the top.
  15. Saturate (Optional): If desired, pour a few spoonfuls of the warm sauce directly over the top of the pudding, allowing it to soak in before serving.
  16. Serve: Slice the pudding and serve immediately, spooning generous amounts of the remaining warm Clotted Cream Caramel Sauce over each portion.