Sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce

Can you tell me what would you do firstly with a plateful of beautiful, suggestively shining dates? I would make a photo - the interest to food photography is clear here. And even stunning aroma and appetizing appearance wouldn't be able to change my crazy intentions. Why crazy? They acquired such characteristic according to my family thoughts. By the way, members of my family don't share my maniac passion of food photo. They don't mind, of course, but nevertheless prefer traditional actions toward food. I'm sure you understood in what way. The same was with sweet-scented dried fruit: they were eaten. Somebody (hm-hm :)) did it without batting an eyelid and as if nothing had happened noticed that I should warn and stop grumbling: a round half-dozen of dates was left! It's better to say ONLY six dates, six lonely dates! This fact should make me feel happy.

Oh, give up being sad. It's time to go on. There won't be a photo of dates plate - you know the reason. But instead of it there will be sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce. It's very aroma and pleasant, and you may eat the sauce with a big spoon.

Treat yourself while I'm ordering the warehouse lock - I'll hang it on the plate next time. And write a note. With red felt-tip pen. To be confident at all :))

Sticky Date Pudding 

Ingredients: 

125g pitted dates, chopped
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water
80g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup self raising flour
pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place dates and baking soda in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stand for 20 minutes.
Cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar until pale, light and fluffy.
Add the egg and beat well. With a metal spoon or spatula, fold through the date water mixture and the flour until well combined.
Spoon into 7-8 muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
Cool in tin for five minutes before turning it out and cooling on a wire rack.

Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup brown sugar
150ml whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
30g salted butter

Directions:

To make the butterscotch sauce, combine all the ingredients in a heavy based saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
When boiled, reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes until darkened and thickened.
To serve, prick the warm cake all over with a skewer and pour about a third of the butterscotch sauce all over the cake and allow to soak for ten minutes before serving.

Enjoy!