Ingredients

• 400g/14oz Agen prunes
• pits removed
• 500ml/18fl oz water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g/4oz butter
• softened
• 350g/12oz dark muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp treacle
• 4 free-range eggs
• 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
• 400g/14oz self-raising flour
• vanilla ice cream
• to serve
• 500ml/18fl oz double cream
• 175g/6oz demerara sugar
• 175g/6oz butter
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp black treacle

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
• Line a 20cm/8in square cake tin with baking parchment.
• Place the prunes and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir the vanilla extract into the prune mixture.
• Blend with a stick blender until thick and soupy.
• Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until smooth. Stir in the golden syrup and treacle before stirring in the flour and mixing well.
• Break the eggs one by one into the bowl with the butter and sugar
• stirring well after each addition.
• Add the bicarbonate of soda to the prune mix
• then pour this mixture into the flour mixture and beat well with a wooden spoon to blend.
• Pour the pudding mixture into the prepared tin.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 1-1½ hours
• or until well-risen and springy to the touch.
• To make the sauce
• put the cream in a saucepan and heat gently.
• Add the sugar and butter and whisk until dissolved.
• Whisk in the syrup and treacle.
• Serve the pudding hot in bowls with the sauce poured over the top and a dollop of vanilla ice cream each.