270g medjool dates, pitted and chopped  (250g pitted weight)
1 tsp bicarb soda
250ml boiling water
150g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Caramel topping:
1 cup soft brown sugar plus 2 tbs
2/3 cup water
75g butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup brandy or rum
100g chopped walnuts or pecans candied

Preheat oven to 160 fan. 

Place the dates in a bowl with the bicarb then pour over the hot water. Set aside to soak and cool slightly. Using electric beaters, beat the butter and sugar until thick and pale. Add the eggs, vanilla and a pinch of salt then continue to beat until fully incorporated. Mic the flour and baking powder then fold through the mixture. Spread into a 2L capacity baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the pudding. 

Meanwhile for the candied nuts, coat the nuts in the melted butter then toss through the sugar and a decent pinch of salt. Spread onto a baking paper lined baking tray and cook on a rack underneath the pudding in the oven for about 10 minutes or until caremalised. Remove and cool completely. 

For the caramel sauce, combine remaining ¾ cup sugar, the water, remaining 50g butter and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until sugar has dissolved then remove from the heat. Remove baked pudding from the oven, poke with holes using a skewer (so the liquid can soak in) then pour over the hot  caramel sauce. Allow it to soak for 5 minutes. 

Serve the pudding with candied nuts and ice cream (or double cream). 

Tip: to turn this into a Christmas Brandy Pudding, add 1 ½ tsp each ground cinnamon and ginger and ½ tsp ground nutmeg to the flour mixture.