Sticky Date Pudding With Salted Caramel And Coconut Topping

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 25 cm loose-bottomed cake tin very well. (if you don’t want to turn out the pudding – you can bake it in any ovenproof serving dish)
• Place the dates in a bowl, add the bicarbonate of soda and pour over the boiling water. Let it stand until the dates are softened and the mixture has cooled down completely
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and the salt and keep aside
• Cream the butter and castor sugar together and add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after every addition till light and fluffy.
• Add the cold date mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Add the chopped apple, sifted flour and yoghurt and mix lightly to make the batter.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 30 minutes. If the pudding becomes too dark – turn the heat down to 150°C after about 15 minutes. Insert a skewer to make sure it is cooked. Prepare the topping while the pudding is in the oven.

Salted Caramel And Coconut Topping

• Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat and boil for 1 minute
• Once the pudding is baked, remove from the oven and spoon the topping over the surface
• Place back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes OR until the topping is bubbly and golden brown.
• Cool for about 10 minutes and remove from the cake tin, place on a pretty plate and serve with crème fraiche or ice cream.