Banana and Date Pudding

This recipe is taken from Leiths Simple Cookery Bible

Ingredients

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes 6

1 ripe banana
1 egg
140g caster sugar
55g butter, softened
few drops vanilla extract
140g self raising flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
85g dates, roughly chopped
Butter, for greasing

To serve
Butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream

To prepare ahead: The puddings can be made in advance and frozen then defrosted and reheated as required.

1. Preheat an oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Grease a 6 large hole muffin tin well, put a disc of silicone paper into the bottom of each hole.
2. Liquidise the banana, egg, caster sugar, butter and vanilla extract together.  Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
3. Pour the liquidised mixture into the centre of the well and add the dates. Stir together thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the tins and put into the oven for 10 –15 minutes until well risen and golden.
4. When the puddings are cooked, remove from the oven, turn out and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack.
5. Serve the puddings warm with the butterscotch sauce poured slightly over and around and vanilla ice cream.

Note : bake the mixture  in muffin cases and serve as a cake at tea time.