I have given you a version of this pudding before and it went down a treat, so I thought it was a grand idea to revisit it.

This time I have cut back on the dates and added figs and it is a truly delicious combination.

I can promise you that if you bake this pudding you will be rewarded with lots of love from those lucky enough to have shared it.

Buon appetito!

RECIPE: Sticky Date and Fig Pudding with ginger cream

Makes: 8, 200ml to 250ml ramekins or 20cm x 20cm square cake tin with 5cm high sides

Pudding:
30g unsalted butter, softened
275g SR flour
275g sugar
1 1/2 tsp bi-carb
375ml water
100g dried and pitted dates
175g dried figs, roughly chopped
90g unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Caramel Sauce:
150g brown sugar
40g unsalted butter

300ml thickened cream

Ginger Cream:
300ml extra thick double cream

50g candied ginger, finely chopped

Pre-heat oven to 180C and grease the inside of ramekins with butter or line cake tin with baking paper and set aside. In a clean bowl, sift in flour, sugar and bi-carb, mix together. In a saucepan over medium heat bring to the boil water and dates and figs, cook for about 5 to 10 minutes or until dates break down, remove from heat and set aside. Pour date mix over flour and at the same time add diced butter and lightly beaten eggs.

Using a wooden spoon stir all ingredients together until butter has melted. Pour mix into ramekins, 3/4 way up or into prepared cake tin. Pop into the oven and bake ramekins for approx 30 minutes or whole pudding for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

While baking, make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat melt together sugar and butter, this takes 3-5 minutes. Once melted together, whisk in cream and continue to whisk until combined. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar has completely melted. Set aside. For the ginger cream, pour cream into a small bowl and add chopped ginger. Pop in the refrigeration until ready to serve.

To Serve: Straight out of the oven with lashing of sauce and ginger cream.