Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 cups water 
• 0.5 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 1.5 cups brown sugar light packed
• 3 large eggs 
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla 
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 10 ounces dates packed pitted
• 1.8 sticks butter unsalted ()
• 6 servings whipped cream 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• baking pan
• hand mixer
• wooden spoon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. and butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan (2 inches deep), knocking out excess flour.
2. Coarsely chop dates and in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan simmer dates in water, uncovered, 5 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. (
4. Mixture will foam.)
5. Let mixture stand 20 minutes.
6. While mixture is standing, into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined.
8. Add date mixture and with a wooden spoon stir batter until just combined well.
9. Pour batter into baking pan and set pan in a larger baking pan.
10. Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of smaller pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
11. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool pudding to warm on a rack.
12. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool sauce to warm.
13. Cut warm pudding into squares.
14. Serve pudding with ice cream and warm sauce.