Ingredients

2 cups/10 oz. pitted dates
2 2/3 cups water
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Ingredients for sauce:
I cup heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lyle's Golden Syrup

Directions

Put a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 400 degrees. Butter and flour 6 8-oz ramekins or a 9-13-inch pan, knocking out excess flour. Combine dates and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. transfer dates with water to heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature. Beat butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about a minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Mix in flour.

Puree cooled date mixture with baking soda in a food processor until just combined. Add to the batter. Stir until just combined. Divide batter between ramekins or pour into pan. Put ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean — 20-30 minutes. Cool puddings in ramekins on rack for 10 minutes. Or, if baked in one pan, scoop a generous portion onto a place, add ice cream if desired. Top with sauce.

To make sauce: combine cream, butter, brown sugar and syrup in medium heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring. Boil until sauce is reduced to about 1 1/3 cups and thick enough to coat back of a wooden spoon, 3-5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around each ramekin and transfer, right side up, to dessert plates. Serve warm with sauce.

(Note: puddings can be baked, cooled and unmolded a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat, wrapped in foil, in a 350-degree oven until heated through (about 15 minutes.)