Sticky Date Pudding Pots

Method

Pudding Pots

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C and lightly grease 9 ramekins.
2. Place the dates, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, stir and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Cream the butter and the molasses then add the sugar and mix again, beating out any lumps.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well between additions.
5. Add the flour, beating slowly until you have a smooth, thick batter.
6. Blend the soaked dates with their liquid and gently mix them into the batter.
7. Pour into the greased ramekins.
8. Press half of the blueberries into the pudding mixture, dividing equally between the ramekins.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Sauce

1. Melt the butter, treacle sugar and molasses over a very low heat in a heavy-based saucepan, stirring all the time to ensure it does not burn.
2. Whisk in 200ml of the cream and turn up the heat. Once it is bubbling and beginning to thicken, take it off the heat, cover and set it aside for later.
3. As soon as the puddings are cooked through, remove them from the oven and prick them all over with a cake tester.
4. Pour about one-quarter of the warm sauce over them, making sure it soaks well into each pudding. Cover the remaining sauce.
5. Leave the ramekins to stand for about 15 minutes before serving.
6. Whip the remaining 200ml cream with the vanilla essence to soft peaks.
7. Serve the puddings with a jug of the remaining sauce, the whipped cream and the remainder of the blueberries.