Traditional Brandy Pudding

125g + 125g pitted dates, chopped
5ml bicarbonate of soda
250ml boiling water
115g butter, room temperature
200g sugar
2 eggs, beaten together
240g flour
5ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
100g walnuts, roasted and chopped

Sauce:
250g sugar
15ml butter
190ml water
5ml vanilla
a pinch of salt
125ml brandy

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 28cm x 20cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Add 125g dates to a bowl, sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda and pour the boiling water over. Stir the mixture and set aside to cool.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream the butter and sugar, scrape down and with the machine running, add the eggs.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and add a spoon to the mixture. Keep adding flour with the machine running at low speed.
Now add the other 125g dates and the walnuts and mix until blended.
Add the cooled date-bicarb-water and mix thoroughly.
Spoon the batter into the prepared oven dish and bake for 50 minutes.

For the sauce:
Add the sugar, butter and water into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, salt and brandy.
Stir the mixture until amalgamated.
Pour the sauce over the hot pudding as soon as it is taken from the oven.

Serve the brandy pudding hot with generous dollops of whipped cream.