Cape Brandy Pudding

Ingredients:

Pudding:

 125 gram dates, stoned and chopped 1/2 cup (125 ml) boiling water

 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) bicarbonate of soda

 1/2 cup (60 gram) butter

 1/2 cup (100 gram / 125 ml) soft brown sugar

 1 large egg, beaten

 1 cup (250 ml) flour

 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) baking powder

 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt

 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) cinnamon

 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ginger

 Pinch nutmeg

 Zest of 1 orange

 1/2 cup (50 gram) chopped walnuts or pecan nuts (chopped)

Syrup:

 2/3 cup (150 ml) soft brown sugar

 2 teaspoons (10 ml) butter

 1/3 cup (90 ml) water

 1 cinnamon quill

 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

 pinch of salt

 1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy

Method:

1. Pour the boiling water over the chopped dates in a saucepan or microwave dish.

2. Heat to boiling point.

3. Remove from heat and mix bicarbonate of soda into mixture. Mix well and leave to cool.

4. Cream the butter and sugar, beat egg in to make a smooth mixture.

5. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg over the creamed mixture and fold in.

6. Mix in the dates, nuts and orange zest.

7. Ladle into a baking dish.
Use a 1.5 liter baking dish, such as a 23 cm pie plate. (I like to use individual ramekins)
Bake at 180°C for 30 to 40 minutes or until the puddings springs back when pressed at the centre. (About 30 minutes in the ramekins)

8. Prepare the syrup while the pudding is baking.

9. Heat the butter, sugar and water and stir until the sugar dissolves.

10. Increase heat and boil for 1 minute and add the cinnamon quill.

11. Remove the mixture from the stove and stir in the brandy, vanilla and salt.

12. Leave to infuse while the pudding is baking.

13. When the pudding is baked, remove the cinnamon quill from the syrup and pour over the pudding.

Serve the pudding hot or cold with cream or ice-cream. (Vanilla ice cream is my choice)

CapeCook - Rustic South African Food