Date, Apricot and Walnut pudding with Date Molasses Caramel Sauce

Pre heat your oven to 170C fan/190C non-fan. Place the chopped dates, apricots and bicarb of soda in a bowl and pour over the boiling. Leave to cool until around 30C then add the instant coffee and stir to dissolve. Grease and line a 19-22cm square metal tin with baking paper.

In a stand mixer, combine the caster sugar and softened butter and beat with a paddle until pale and creamy. Add the date molasses and continue to beat until incorporated. Whilst the butter is mixing, combine the flour and baharat and put to one side.

Crack the eggs into a bowl then slowly add a little at a time to the butter mixture, allowing it to fully incorporate before you add more. The mixture will probably split, but don’t worry. Add around a third of the flour and mix on a low speed until combined, then add some of the liquid from the fruit to loosen. Repeat until all the flour and liquid has been added in just mixed, so you have a loose batter. Using a spatula, fold through the soaked fruits and walnuts, then pour into the baking tin. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour, turning halfway through. It’s cooked when a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. If reheating, wrap with foil and place in an oven at 150C until hot in the centre, or microwave for a few minutes.

While the pudding is in the oven, make the sauce by combining the butter, date molasses, double cream, and brown sugar in a small pan. Bring to the boil then simmer for a minute then turn off.

Divide the pudding then place in a bowl and top with a generous amount of the sauce, then finish with a scoop of ice cream.